Our Love is History
by sdl90
Summary: A collection of ten one shots featuring Finn and Rachel throughout the 20th century. Historical AU
1. 1901

Hello! Welcome to my latest story. This will be a collection of historical AU's in which Finn and Rachel have been placed. They will be as historically accurate as I can make them with possibly a few minor liberties taken. As for this chapter, I thought it was fitting as I am from Buffalo and Finn and Rachel's school's presidential namesake was indeed at the Pan-American Exposition. I hope you enjoy!

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It was amazing. The most amazing thing he had ever seen in his short life. It was also blinding. Never before had Finn seen so many light bulbs. Hell, many places in the country still didn't even have electricity, but this place…it was a city of light.

Finn didn't know what he'd encounter when he hopped on a train to Buffalo from Lima with his buddy Sam for the Pan-American Exposition but he thought it would be fun. He'd read about its exhibits and spectacles all summer, had saved up to attend, and now he was taking a short trip to see the fair for himself and possibly meet President McKinley. He had never met anyone important before and the prospect was exciting.

When they arrived that Thursday evening the Expo was still quite crowded and Finn and Sam found themselves in awe as they walked across the Triumphal Bridge into the Exposition. Their mouths hung open as their eyes feasted on the buildings and bulbs that surrounded them. The Spanish Renaissance designs were breath taking and even in the night the colors of the buildings were brighter than any either man had seen before.

"So what do you want to do?" Sam asked Finn as they walked the grounds. Neither could stop staring at the giant Electric Tower at the center of the fair, completely lit up from base to tip, beaming out light over the entire fair, taller than any other structure around.

"I don't know. Many of the exhibits are closing for the night."

"I saw a sign saying there was a soloist performing soon at the Temple of Music. We could see that."

Finn shrugged and the men made their way to the ornate golden building. They had never seen anything this nice in Lima. As the men waited in line to enter, they read the sign stating the lineup of events for that day. It seemed the final act of the evening would be a female singer by the name of Rachel Berry.

"Rachel Berry? Do you think she will be any good?" Sam commented as the line crept along.

"I would assume so she is if she's performing here. You don't get to perform in the same place the President will be without being good."

As they entered the building finally, Finn removed his bowler and sought out two seats for him and Sam. All he could find unfortunately were seats in the back on the first floor. They settled in and made themselves comfortable as they waited for the show to start.

"Do you really think we'll meet the President tomorrow?"

"If we get here early enough I suppose. It would be pretty neat to meet him."

"Do you think we'll meet any ladies while here?" Sam asked with a little glint in his eye.

"This isn't a brothel, Sam."

Sam looked offended. "I never said it was. It would just be nice to have some company a little nicer to look at than you to escort around the fair."

Finn chuckled when he realized he had a valid point until the lights in the building dimmed and more came on onstage. A tiny woman stood on the stage and stepped forward into the light earning applause from the waiting audience. She was in a lovely floor length silk black gown, cinched tightly at the waist with a sash, the curve of her hips accentuated, lace decorating the top of the bodice and over her arms while lace bows decorated the bottom of the dress. One major difference in her dress was the much lower neckline than most women wore. Her hair was swept up in a large bun on the top of her head with soft tendrils framing her face. Her arms were clad in long matching gloves which covered most of her skin.

From a distance, Finn couldn't get a very good look at the woman, but boy could he hear her when she opened her mouth. Honestly, he couldn't even tell what it was she was singing as it didn't even sound like English but it was beautiful nonetheless. The woman's voice rang throughout the auditorium and seemed to pierce Finn deeply with its crisp angelic sound. Simply put, he was mesmerized.

As the woman sang what he came to believe was an Italian opera, Finn stayed transfixed on her, absorbing everything about her he could from his position in the audience. He had to meet this creature somehow and compliment her on her amazing voice. In all his life he had never known something so lovely could exist.

When the woman ended her show, the audience erupted into loud applause and Finn jumped to his feet along with many others for a standing ovation. He waited impatiently as the crowd began to exit the building.

"I wonder if we are allowed to meet the talent," Finn queried allowed to no one specifically.

"Has the talented young lady caught your eye?" Sam joked, punching him on the arm.

Finn shrugged. "She was decent," he said without emotion, his eyes darting to Sam to see if he bought it. There was no way a songstress with a voice as lovely as that would ever be interested in a farm boy from Lima, Ohio. He didn't even want to think about the possibility of attempting to woo her. Besides, it was well known in Lima that he would most likely marry Quinn Fabray. Everyone expected it. All he had to do was ask her father for permission and propose. He just wasn't sure that was what he really wanted.

Sam snorted. "You couldn't take your eyes off of her the entire time. I think you are understating the attraction."

"What does it matter? I won't even be able to meet her and even if I could she is an Italian opera singer and I'm a farm boy. Besides…I have Quinn."

"That is true." Sam clapped him on the back.

The men exited the building following the crowd outside and much to his surprise, the singer Rachel Berry was outside greeting the members of the audience.

"Well, it looks like you may get to meet your songbird." Sam smiled at him and they walked toward the line of people forming to meet her. As they moved closer, Finn could finally see her face.

She was stunning. A large smile was constantly on her lips and she seemed very gracious as she took all the praise received from the line of people. Her eyes sparkled in the light from the buildings and he realized when he was three people away that the woman was in fact tiny.

Finn could feel his heart in his throat as he became the next person to greet her, his tongue thickening in his mouth. When he was right in front of her, his mind went blank.

"Good evening, sir," she said in her angelic voice. When he didn't reply her eyes flickered to Sam who cleared his throat loudly and nudged Finn rather harshly.

"H-hello, Miss Berry. You were incredible."

"Thank you. It is always a pleasure to meet admirers. I appreciate you taking the time out of your evening to come to my show."

"Of course. It was the best part of my day." Finn smiled brightly.

"If you're at all interested, tomorrow afternoon after the President's meet and greet, I'll be performing again. I am actually here until the end of the Exposition."

"I would love to hear you sing again. You were truly amazing." He couldn't stop the praise.

"Well, thank you again." Just then a man in a well tailored suit caught Rachel's attention. She spoke in a hushed tone with him before turning back to Finn with a bright yet sad smile on her face. "I'm so sorry, but I must be going. Perhaps we'll see each other again tomorrow."

Unlike with everyone else, she placed her hand out for Finn to take. He stared at her glove clad hand before delicately taking it in his. Finn bent forward as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it as he stared at her. Blush graced her cheeks as a tiny smile grew on her lips. Her hand slipped from Finn's grasp once his lips left her fingers and he began to lower their hands.

"Goodnight, sir," Rachel said coyly before turning and walking away.

Finn watched her walk away and noticed that she turned to look back over her shoulder. Their eyes met for a moment and they both blushed deeply again at getting caught staring. The crowd around them began to thin and Sam brought Finn back to the world.

"We should go. The fair is closing soon."

Finn looked down at Sam and nodded. "Let's go."

As Finn laid in bed at their hotel, all that was on his mind was Rachel Berry. He knew it was foolish to entertain fantasies of him and Rachel together when he knew it would never work out. They weren't from the same world and he was technically courting Quinn back home. His mother had even already given him her engagement ring to give to Quinn. There was literally nothing standing his way of asking her to become his wife. Her father had even hinted at the possibility of him essentially taking Quinn as his wife. But for some reason Finn just couldn't bring himself to ask even though he knew it was what he _should_ do.

He spent hours attempting to fall asleep until finally the images of Rachel subsided and he only saw darkness until the dreams started. Visions of Rachel, Quinn, the farm, and brilliantly blinding lights danced in his head all night keeping him restless and tossing and turning. Usually one to sleep easily and very much like a log, the next morning when he awoke from the sorry night of sleep, it showed in his features.

"Good morning, sunshine. How did you sleep?" Sam teased with a grin when Finn sat up and saw him getting dressed. "So who was the bride? Miss Fabray or Miss Berry?"

Apparently Finn had been talking in his sleep again. He just glared at his friend. "Just finish getting dressed, Samuel." Sam just snorted and returned to tying his tie in the mirror with a smirk. Finn ignored him as he got out of bed and went about starting his day.

Though he wasn't a rich man, Finn had a decent suit and had brought it with him to wear to the Exposition when he learned that the President would be in attendance. He may only meet him for a moment, or not at all even, but if he was going to be meeting the leader of their country he was going to be well dressed. It wasn't an everyday occurrence. After meeting Rachel however, he was rather glad he had thought to wear his nicest, most impressive, suit.

As he stared at his reflection, Finn's eyes raked over every inch of himself to make sure he looked good. His striped black trousers were creased front and back, his white dress shirt and vest stood out against his black coat and his black and white spotted tie was tied comfortably around his neck. He had never seen himself look so professional outside of when it was necessary to go to town looking presentable for any business regarding the farm. Might he even say, he looked dashing.

When he and Sam were finally dressed and ready to go, they left their room in search of breakfast. As they ate, Sam asked what they might tackle while at the fair that day. "We have yet to make it to the New York State building. We could always see what's in there?"

"What is in there?" Finn asked, taking a bite out of his bread.

"I'm going to say information about New York State," Sam replied pensively. "And we should make our way to the Electricity Building. I think it would be interesting to learn about how they are powering this entire thing. There are a lot of light bulbs on those buildings."

"I was thinking of going back to the Temple of Music."

Sam stared at him over his glass of water. "I doubt your lady is going to be waiting there for you. We came here for the fair. We should actually go to the fair."

"I will be at the fair. Just a very specific location inside it. Weren't you the one yesterday who wanted to find some ladies to escort?"

"Yes, but I'm not pining after one that's completely unattainable."

Finn stewed as he played with his bowler hat, smoothing out the rounded top. "Are you almost finished? The fair will be opening soon."

Sam shook his head but the pair left for the fair without another word on the subject. When they arrived, Sam coerced Finn into going to the New York State building with him. As they walked around the Greek Parthenon inspired structure, Sam rattled off facts he had learned about the building.

"This is the only structure that will remain standing once the fair is over. It's an absolutely gorgeous building." He examined the marble floor then lifted his head to look at the high ceiling. Though it was fairly early there were quite a few people milling around the building including a familiar face on the second floor.

A smile stretched across Finn's face as he stared up at the lovely woman walking slowly along the walkway with a friend. She wore a large pink hat with feathers and ribbons all over it and he could see her dress matched. When she laughed it rang throughout the building and he could swear he had never heard a more beautiful sound.

Leaving Sam talking to himself, Finn found a staircase to the second floor and came up behind the beautiful woman he couldn't get out of his mind. "Good morning, Miss Berry," he said in greeting, a smile growing on his face. The women both turned to face him and Rachel's face glowed as she smiled brightly at Finn.

"Good morning, sir. What a pleasant surprise," she replied. "Coming to learn about New York State?"

Finn shrugged a little. "Mostly just here admiring the beauty." He wondered if Rachel understood what he really meant.

"I see." She blushed like she did. "I do love the view from the back steps. It's part of why I come here every morning."

"I have yet to see the view. We've only just arrived. Sam has been more interested in the marble of the floors." He happened to glance over the railing to find Sam below looking around, searching for him with a puzzled look on his face. Finn couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sam?" Rachel asked.

"Oh, yes. My friend, Sam Evans. He's just below us; the one with blonde hair and a confused look. I may have forgotten to mention I was coming upstairs." Finn rubbed the back of his head jostling his hat before taking it off completely and reaffixing it.

"Curious, that I should know more about your friend than you as we've spoken more. I'm afraid I still don't know your name."

Realization hit Finn and he scrambled to remove his hat and bow his head lightly. "Finn Hudson, miss."

"Rachel Berry. It's a pleasure to officially meet you." Rachel chuckled until a throat clearing caught her attention. She turned toward her friend who was waiting impatiently next to her. The woman was blonde and quite lovely in her blue high necked dress and large matching feathered hat. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Brittany. Mr. Hudson, this is my good friend, Brittany Pierce."

"Nice to meet you," Finn greeted taking Brittany's hand and shaking it, flashing her a smile.

"Brittany and I were just about to enter the fair. Would you and your friend care to join us?" Rachel offered, biting her lip a little.

"That sounds like a great idea. Would you care to lead the way? I haven't been here that long."

"Certainly." Rachel took the arm Finn offered her and they both walked to the staircase to go back to the first floor, Brittany following behind.

As they descended to the first floor in the open area where Sam was still searching, Finn managed to catch his attention, calming his friend's growing worry. "I was wondering where you had gone off to. Now I see why you left me. Good morning, Miss Berry." Sam nodded at Rachel and she did the same.

"Sam, would you mind escorting Miss Pierce today? It seems her previous escort went on a gondola ride and never returned. Is that right?" Finn was still uncertain of Brittany's story as to where Seamus, her companion the day before, had disappeared to.

Brittany bowed her head in shame. "He took his bell off and I lost him."

Everyone else wore varying looks of confusion until Rachel pressed on. "Well, now Mr. Evans would be more than happy to see you around the Exposition today, I'm sure. He probably won't even need the bell."

Sam shook his head. "My sense of direction is pretty astute if I do say so myself."

Finn snorted. "You got lost in the corn field just a few weeks ago."

"There weren't any directional signs and not all of us can be abnormally gigantic."

"Well, there are plenty of buildings here housing new science of the day. Perhaps they have something that will make you taller." Finn patted Sam on the head condescendingly before Sam swatted his hand away. Finn chuckled then just led Rachel toward the back exit of the building, Sam and Brittany walking together behind them.

As they stepped outside in the warmth of the late summer morning, Finn was awed by the scene. Rachel had been right about it. The lake lying before them looked beautiful and there was nothing obstructing the view of the electric fountain and the rose gardens. Though it lacked the magnificence of all the electric light bulbs from the night prior, the architecture and flora around them was simply stunning.

"Shall we?" Rachel asked, beaming up at Finn and making him grow even more excited for the day ahead. It would be his first full day at the Exposition and certainly one he would never forget.

By midday, they had already toured several of the buildings on the grounds and learned quite a bit about agriculture – which actually came in quite handy for Finn as he was in charge of the farm his father had left him – other cultures at the Ethnology building, machinery and transportation, horticulture, dairy production, art, as well as electricity and how Niagara Falls was powering every electric machine and light bulb at the Expo from 25 miles away. They had even stopped in the two candy shops on the grounds. When it was time for lunch, the group ventured to the Midway where there were all sorts of exotic cuisines Finn had never experienced.

"I've never had Japanese before. It's not exactly popular in Lima." Finn assessed the menu not sure if his palate was ready for something so foreign.

"We should try it. I had the Italian for dinner yesterday and it was quite delicious though nothing compares to my grandmother's sauce. She is a true Italian magician in the kitchen." Rachel giggled as she stepped into the line for the sit down Japanese restaurant – Fair Japan.

Finn looked at Sam who seemed more interested in getting to know Miss Pierce than where they would be having lunch. He turned back to Rachel who was peering around the line at the lovely Japanese garden they were standing in. "I suppose something new wouldn't hurt."

Once the four were seated, Finn took it upon himself to really get to know Rachel better. "So, Miss Berry, how did you come to be an Italian opera singer? It's a rather bold profession."

"Well, it has always been my dream to be a singer. My parents raised me on music. They moved to the United States when I was four from Tuscany and my father opened a music store in Manhattan fixing instruments as that is his craft. My mother, aside from raising me, gave me singing lessons in Italian as she didn't understand English yet. When I was old enough I created a stage name and I auditioned for any production I could find in New York and was cast in a few musicals. I trained my voice and I found I really loved Italian operas. Then I came across this opportunity and I couldn't pass it up. It was a chance to travel and I had never been outside of New York City before. I'm here with a troupe of actors actually. Some nights I perform on my own and other nights we do little Vaudevillian skits. That's how I know Brittany."

Finn and Rachel turned to look at Brittany who was sitting a little closer to Sam than good propriety would suggest. Rachel 'accidentally' kicked Brittany under the table gaining her attention. "Ow, Rachel, that hurt."

"Perhaps if you moved over a pinch, my foot wouldn't have slipped and hit you." The hint was strong in her voice but Brittany either didn't seem to catch it or just didn't care. She remained rather close to Sam, running her finger along his jaw seductively.

Rachel huffed and went back to Finn, ignoring her friend. "How about yourself Mr. Hudson? You said you were from Lima?" Rachel sipped on her water.

"Yes. Lima, Ohio."

"And you own a farm?"

Finn nodded. "My father left it to me after he died when I was a baby. Until I was old enough my uncle ran it. We grow corn…a lot of corn. And we have some cows so we always have fresh milk. I love milk."

"I love cows! Sometimes I go over to the livestock area to visit with them. They certainly love to chew. I lost a hat to one." Rachel pouted a little, her eyebrows scrunching together as she dwelled on the lost hat.

"Our cows are fairly nice. It's not as fanciful as being an actress but it gets us by."

"Do you not enjoy being a farmer?"

Finn took a moment to think about his answer even though he knew what it was before she asked. He honestly hated being a farmer. The only reason he stayed with it was for his mother and he really had nowhere else to go. His entire life was on that farm and in that town.

"It isn't my passion but it's what I do."

"Well, you shouldn't do anything you aren't passionate about."

He shrugged, confidence leaving his body at the thought of leaving what he knew. "I can't just pick up and leave. I have responsibilities. Not everyone gets to live out their dreams."

"What are your dreams?" Rachel stared at him softly, trying to catch his downcast eyes.

The question caught Finn off guard. No one had ever asked what his dreams were before. Not even his mother or Quinn. "I'm not sure. I've never really thought about it before."

"You should. I know it might be hard, but if you're really determined enough, you can make anything happen. There's no reason to stay in a situation you aren't happy with, Finn," she placed her hand on his arm before realizing what she was doing, "I mean…Mr. Hudson." She removed her hand and Finn instantly missed the contact. He smiled softly at her but before either could speak again their food arrived.

They were relatively silent throughout their meal and once finished the group found themselves splitting up.

"I think I'll see you back at the room later. Brittany is going to show me around for a while." The tone Sam used and the gleam in his eye, as well as how innocent Brittany was attempting to look behind them, told Finn otherwise. He had a feeling, for Sam anyway, that the Expo was shaping up to be a brothel.

"Have fun, I guess. I will see you later." Finn waved goodbye and Rachel spoke quietly to Brittany apparently trying to argue without making it look like an argument. It appeared Rachel lost. As she walked back to Finn to take his arm and walk down the Midway, she seemed upset. "Is everything alright?"

"It's just Brittany being Brittany. One day the man she takes back to her room with her won't be very discreet and everyone will know about her amorous activities. She isn't exactly known in the troupe for her chastity."

Finn wasn't sure how to respond to that. He knew that some women were alright with premarital intercourse despite their reputations but none that he knew personally. Quinn would rather die than go beyond a possible kissing session before marriage. He wondered idly how far Rachel would go before chastising himself for thinking such a thing. She was a lady and she wouldn't allow just anyone into her bed.

"So, where shall we go next?" Rachel asked, looking up into Finn's face.

"W-well, the President is supposed to be meeting people today. We could get in line for that?"

"We don't need a line. I'll be allowed into the Temple of Music early because later tonight after the President is done we'll be putting on a show. Ooh, we could go on the Aeriocycle! We'll be able to see the entire Expo from it." Rachel pulled him along the midway to the large metallic structure. It was like a ferris wheel yet more like a see-saw.

As they sat in the car, Finn found his heart racing as Rachel leaned her head against his shoulder. He had only met the woman the night prior yet he felt like he had known her forever. She was easy to talk to and didn't belittle him like Quinn often did. In fact, she tried to make him feel good about himself. While they sat up in that little car away from the world he could really picture being with Rachel. Unfortunately when the wheel came back down, the world came with it and he was thrust back into his reality.

Finn allowed Rachel to drag him to the Bazaar Building where they could find souvenirs from the fair and goods from around the world. While Rachel was intrigued and fascinated by the silks and jewelry and other crafts, Finn was amazed by her. Everyone she met she spoke to with poise and confidence yet didn't look down her nose at them like Quinn often did. He found himself comparing her to Quinn a lot but enjoying the vast differences in their character he was finding.

Until they finally made their way back to the Temple of Music and Finn started to meet Rachel's troupe members, she never acted differently. It was when he was introduced to one Sugar Motta that Rachel's claws came out.

"I'm Sugar Motta and you are?" she asked in a sultry voice as she put her hand out for Finn to take. She seemed disappointed when he only shook it.

"Finn Hudson."

"And what is a handsome man such as yourself doing with Rachel?" She glared daggers at Rachel.

"A better question is why aren't you preparing yourself for the show tonight? You need all the practice you can get. Even the animals think so." Rachel was rather tense as she spoke to the other woman.

"I'm meeting the President. _You_ should really focus on preparing for your show. Doesn't it take you two hours to get all your rolls into the corset?"

Rachel gasped in indignation and had she less dignity she would have answered her question with a slap to the face. "Just watch that the curtain doesn't fall on you again tonight." The women narrowed their eyes at each other before offering tight smiles. Sugar sauntered away offering Finn a little wave in departure. Rachel turned back to Finn looking mortified. "I apologize…"

Finn put his hand up to stop her. "It's alright."

"No, it isn't. I should behave more like a lady and disagree with my eyes and not my harsh words. Sugar doesn't even warrant words."

"What exactly does she do in your troupe?"

"Her father funds it in exchange for letting her be a part of it despite her severe lack of talent."

"I'm surprised she would be interested in acting. She seems the type to marry a millionaire."

"Her father hasn't been very successful in finding a suitor to marry her off to yet. Everyone thus far has found her quite grating and…unpleasant. We only put up with her for the money as horrible as that sounds."

"Sometimes some people are just intolerable."

"Quite."

Though he knew he shouldn't, Finn couldn't stop as the words fell from his mouth. "What about you? Has your father found a suitable…suitor?" He scratched his head and Rachel looked a little stunned at his directness. "I'm sorry. That was out of line."

"No…no, it's quite alright." She wrung her hands together and stared at the floor, her hat covered her face so Finn could no longer see her expression. "I have yet to find anyone special. There was one man who had begun courting me but he found a better offer."

Finn's face fell as he could feel her pain at having essentially been tossed aside like garbage. "It's his loss." Rachel looked up at him and gave him a weak smile.

She cleared her throat of the tears that were brimming and smiled broader. "Come. We should get ready to meet President McKinley." She took his arm again and led him out from backstage to the large central area where the President's stand was set up. He wasn't out yet but some people were already waiting around to meet him.

According to the security man Finn spoke with, President McKinley would only be able to greet for about ten minutes before leaving to meet with his wife who had returned to the home they were staying at as she felt ill. When the general public was finished the performers would be able to greet him quickly before he would exit. Finn and Rachel stood with the bystanders as President McKinley entered the building dressed to the nines. He seemed in good spirits as he spoke to his men to allow the doors to open.

People flowed into the building, the excitement palpable. Finn grinned down at Rachel. "I've never been to an event this big before."

"Me neither. Anything to do with the President is a huge honor." Rachel's smile shone from ear to ear as she held Finn's arm and waited.

As the procession proceeded, McKinley shaking hundreds of hands in a matter of minutes, Finn listened to the organist playing in the background. He wasn't sure of the tune but he knew he had heard it before. His mind drifted to Rachel's performance and how he hoped he would be able to sit closer that evening until some laughing caught his attention.

"Why is everyone laughing?"

"President McKinley just gave a little girl his lapel flower. It was very cute."

Finn watched in ease alongside Rachel as a few more people shook hands with the President until two loud bangs resounded throughout the Temple. The President lurched forward until a scuffle started between multiple men directly in front of the President. McKinley stumbled back but didn't fall as some men caught him before he could.

From there the Temple exploded into panic with men piling onto each other and others rubbernecking while most began running around like chickens with their heads cut off searching for an exit. Finn looked down at Rachel whose face was masked in horror as she watched the men drag the President to a chair to examine him. Finn looked where her eyes fell and saw the blood coating his white vest. Suddenly it all made sense.

A man had shot the President.

Determined to get Rachel out of there and to safety away from the growing panic and fray to apprehend the shooter, Finn took Rachel in his arms and headed toward the stage and the back exit. Rachel seemed stiff and paralyzed in fear against his body as he tried to make her move but her legs didn't work as he pulled her along. Her shoe caught on a chair that had ended up in the large crowd trying to get out and she fell to the ground and out of Finn's grasp.

Rachel started screaming as Finn saw a woman's heel step directly on Rachel's hand. She tucked into herself as best she could with her large dress, losing her hat and getting kicked and tripped over as he fought the crowd to get back to her. People were pushing and pulling in every direction, it was nearly impossible to move.

Sensing it would be thinner below, Finn dropped to his hands and knees to maneuver through the crowd's legs calling Rachel's name the entire time. His voice was drowned in the screams.

"Rachel!" he shouted before swearing as a shoe stomped on his fingers. He shook it out then ignored the dull ache as he weaved between suit pants and petticoats. "Rachel!" He saw her lift her head to look at him just in time to watch her get kicked in the face and knocked out. Finn yelled louder and pushed at whatever was in his way until he got back to Rachel.

Finally he made it to her limp body and held her in his arms. He ran his hands over her features, trying to determine if she were still alive. His hand brushed under her nose and he could feel her breath on his fingers telling him she was still breathing. Finn sighed in relief before holding Rachel close to him, her head lolling on his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her body, getting to his feet against the force of the crowd.

Once upright again, he followed the flow of the crowd outside and didn't stop walking until he had gotten Rachel over to the hospital on the grounds. The nurses and interns in the place were scrambling as the President had been brought in to be operated on. Finn laid Rachel out on a bench and went to find someone, anyone, who could check her head and make sure she would be alright. He tried capturing the attention of numerous people running about but no one cared with the drama surrounding the President looming. He happened to look back at Rachel and saw that she was stirring.

Finn rushed back to Rachel's side and took her hand in his. "Rachel, are you alright?"

She blinked a few times before looking around. "Where are we? What happened?"

"We're at the hospital on the grounds. You were knocked out while you were on the floor."

Rachel's eyes widened and began to tear up as she remembered what had happened. "President McKinley was shot." Finn nodded solemnly. "Is he alive? What happened to him?"

Finn rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb. "I don't know. He's here in surgery which is why everyone is so preoccupied."

Rachel sat up and Finn steadied her as she held her head. Amazingly she wasn't bleeding but he hoped that there wasn't anything wrong from being knocked out. "I suppose this means the fair is closing for tonight." She bit her lip in worry and brushed away a tear that had fallen. "Can we leave?"

"I think someone should look at your head."

"My head is fine. I really just want to go home." She started crying harder and Finn shook his head as he helped Rachel to her feet.

He held her close the entire time he walked her to the residence her troupe was living in until the close of the Expo and she silently cried into his jacket. When they arrived back to the home the only people around were the maids. She declined their help however and insisted that Finn help her upstairs. He was the only person she felt comforted by and safe with at the moment.

Finn sat her down on the bed and brushed the loose pieces of hair that had fallen in her face out of the way as he knelt before her. "Are you going to be alright? Is there anyone you want me to find?" Rachel shook her head. "I don't think you should be alone right now."

Rachel looked up at him, her tears spilling over. "Could you stay with me? I know what the maids will think and that it is impertinent, but I don't want you to leave yet."

Finn nodded and got to his feet. The trauma of the events they had just experienced was hitting Rachel hard and she just needed a shoulder to lean on. He just happened to be the shoulder on hand.

Rachel laid out on the bed and turned away from him but he didn't miss her pat the bed next to her. His breathing became labored and his palms sweat terribly while his heart beat frantically. Finn had never laid with a woman in any sense of the word. At least not since he had stopped being afraid of the dark when he was seven and didn't ask his mother to sleep in her bed. But then she looked back at him with her red rimmed eyes filled with questions and no answers to give. He took off his coat and placed it on the chair before sitting on the bed and turning to face Rachel's back. Finn scooted closer and nervously put his arm around Rachel to hold her close.

She was intoxicating as he breathed her in. Even with the sweat from the heat of the day and the dirt from the shoes that had trampled her, Rachel still retained a sweet flowery scent and something else that seemed distinctly…Rachel. True he barely knew her, but he could sense that without any perfume Rachel would still smell incredibly delectable.

His eyes fell closed as he pulled Rachel tighter. Her hand slipped over his, their fingers entwining as she pulled their hands up to hold to her heart. Like his, Rachel's heartbeat seemed entirely too fast to be normal.

"I wish you weren't leaving tomorrow," Rachel mumbled as she tilted her head forward more.

"I wish I wasn't too."

"Will you write to me?"

Finn pushed himself up to look down at her face which was still not turned toward him. He gulped thickly. "I want to. I really do, but I don't think that would be a good idea."

Rachel looked at him finally. "Why not?"

He sat up realizing he was going to have to tell her about Quinn. Before now, Finn didn't think it would matter. He was never going to see Rachel again. He was going to go back to his life in Lima and act like the past day and a half were just a really vivid and beautiful dream.

Finn turned away from Rachel. "I haven't been entirely honest about my…" he ran his hand through his hair, "I've been courting a girl back home. I'm supposed to marry her whenever I finally get around to asking her." Finn chanced a glance back at Rachel who had sat up. Her expression was fairly blank. "I'm sorry I didn't mention her before. It didn't seem important."

"Do you love her?"

Again he was caught off guard by her question. No one ever asked if he loved Quinn…not even Quinn. Everyone treated the marriage like a business deal. It was a good match that worked for everyone on paper, but no one bothered to ask if he or Quinn were happy with it. It was just assumed that they were.

Finn shook his head. "Not at all."

"Then why would you ask her to marry you?"

"Marrying Quinn is one of my responsibilities. If I don't marry her…who else would I marry?"

"Someone you love?" Rachel said through a humorless laugh. "My parents were forced into an arranged marriage. They barely ever speak and both are terribly unhappy. The only thing they seem able to agree on is that when I do marry, it should be someone I love. You can compromise on so many things, but who you spend the rest of your life with shouldn't be one of them."

Finn shifted his body to look at Rachel head on. "That isn't the world we live in. It sounds great in theory, but I don't have that luxury. There are expectations I need to meet, people I have to take care of…I can't just ignore all that."

"Don't. But don't do what you don't want. If you don't want to marry Quinn, don't marry Quinn. If you don't want to be a farmer…sell the farmer and find something you do want. This is America; people come here for fresh starts all the time. It's why my parents came. Why can't the people from here have the same right?" Finn's face was scrunched together in thought as Rachel moved closer to him. "It's your life. You have only known me a matter of hours. What should my opinion matter? You just deserve to be happy. You are a good man, Finn."

Finn got lost in Rachel's eyes as he looked into her rich chocolate irises. She stared back at him through her lashes. Almost as if she were a magnet, Finn found himself leaning forward slowly as Rachel crept closer until their lips crashed against one another's.

All thought escaped Finn's brain as he hungrily meshed his lips to Rachel's and his hands found their way into her hair. Her hand came up to undo her bun as their mouths remained connected, letting her hair cascade down her back and over her shoulders. It was soft as Finn's hands fisted into it. He pulled away momentarily to look at Rachel whose lips were plump from their kiss, cheeks rosy with passion or embarrassment he wasn't sure. Before he could think straight again, Rachel pressed her lips back to his and gripped his head pulling him closer.

Their bodies pressed together as Rachel moved to her knees and tilted Finn's head back to continue kissing him. His eyes were wide as she caught him off guard with her force but as her tongue surprisingly slipped between his lips to coax his to press back, Finn relaxed and placed his hands on Rachel's back while his eyes slipped closed again. Finn used his own body to push Rachel back down onto the pillows and ran his hand around to her stomach while Rachel's hand continued to pull at his face and hair. She was almost sloppy with her need to have him, but Finn didn't much mind. It felt too good, too natural, to kiss Rachel. Almost like she were meant for him.

The thought jolted Finn out of the trance she had over him and he pulled away getting off the bed. He straightened out his tie and shirt, ran his hands through his hair and started for his coat.

"Where are you going?" Rachel asked, concern in her watery voice.

"This isn't right, Rachel. You deserve better than this."

"But you…" She seemed speechless as her eyes began to fill with tears again, her breathing very heavy. "You have feelings for me too, don't you?"

Finn knelt next to her and took her hand, kissing the back of it. "I do, Rachel. Which is why we can't do this. It wouldn't be right."

Rachel just stared at him not understanding. "How is it wrong when we both want it?"

"I'm sorry, Rachel. I have to leave." Finn kissed her hand once more before placing it back in her lap and getting up to leave. He heard Rachel release a sob as he exited her bedroom, closing the door behind him. A maid happening to walk by seemed startled by his sudden presence. "Please make sure she's alright. Miss Berry took a heavy hit to her head today." The maid looked surprised but nodded, giving him her word. He ventured to the front door, thoughts swirling in his head.

If he really wanted to be with Rachel, and the right way, he needed to take care of a few things first.

Nearly two months later on November 2nd, the last day of the fair, Finn found himself back on a train to Buffalo hoping against hope that Rachel was still with her troupe. He hadn't been able to get her out of his mind since he walked out of her bedroom so many weeks before. So he had taken her advice. It hadn't been easy but he had managed to convince his uncle to take over the farm again and if he so chose, he could sell it so long as he gave his mother what she was owed. He still had to take care of her. Plus, he would send back a portion of whatever wages he would earn to help support her.

Finn still didn't know what he wanted to do in New York, but he did know he didn't want to be a farmer and he didn't want to marry Quinn. Rachel had really left an impression on him and he really hoped he'd left one on her. Finn just prayed that he hadn't burnt the bridge they had built that day weeks ago.

After leaving all his possessions he had been able to bring with him at his hotel, Finn found himself entering the fair through the Triumphal Bridge again. He quickly walked to the Temple of Music and found that Rachel was scheduled to sing in about twenty minutes. Finn found himself a seat closer to the stage than last time, taking a moment to notice the X on the floor labeling where McKinley had been assassinated, and he waited as patiently as possible to see the woman who had affected him so deeply again for the first time in months.

When the curtain opened he clapped along with audience and watched as Rachel walked out in a beautiful deep red dress somewhat similar to the black one he had first seen her in. Due to the blinding lights illuminating her, Finn had a feeling she couldn't see him but he could very clearly see her. She looked magnificent on the stage as she sang her heart out in Italian and Finn felt so much emotion in her performance.

As her last song came to an end and everyone stood up to applaud her glorious talent, the lights dimmed and Rachel looked directly at Finn. Her face turned to shock as their eyes connected until she collected herself and redirected her gaze to the rest of the crowd. Rachel curtsied and took a few steps back as the curtain closed. The house lights came on and Finn followed the crowd out of the building. When he made it outside, Rachel was found in the same spot she had been in the first time he had met her.

She noticed him immediately and tried to hide the bashful smirk and blush coloring her cheeks but Finn had easily seen it. Rachel was happy to see him despite how they left things. He got in the line to meet her and when it was his turn, he took Rachel's hand and kissed the back of it again. "Good evening, Miss Berry. Flawless performance as always."

"Thank you, sir."

"Are you sad the Exposition is closing?"

"I have very mixed feelings."

The person behind Finn in line cleared their throat obnoxiously. Finn gave them an apologetic smile. "Well, I hope you enjoyed your time here." He squeezed her hand again before releasing it and taking a step out of line.

Rachel continued greeting people until she was told it was time to go. She apologized to those she couldn't get to meet and told Finn to follow her with a head nod. He walked toward the West Amherst Gate behind her troupe and once outside, Rachel turned around to face Finn, a mixture of emotions on her lovely face.

"You left," she accused.

"I came back."

"Why?"

"I had a conversation with a very lovely young woman once. She told me I should do what I wanted. So I sorted out my responsibilities and took her advice." Finn shoved his hands in his coat pockets.

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest haughtily. "What about the farm and Quinn?"

"My uncle has taken control over the farm again. Sam is helping him run things and they're both looking after my mother. As for Quinn…I got a better offer."

Rachel looked like she wanted to smile but wouldn't allow herself the satisfaction. "I would be willing to bet Quinn was not happy."

Finn mashed his lips together. "Actually, she seemed rather relieved. She has apparently found another potential husband on her own. She did not take my leaving that poorly." This answer seemed to make Rachel feel a little better and she visibly relaxed.

"Why did you come here? You could have gone anywhere."

"You aren't just anywhere. You are here."

Rachel swallowed thickly and looked down at her gloved hands, wringing them together. Her hat covered her face. "You came here for me?"

Finn stepped closer and placed his hand under her chin to lift her face. "It may have only been a matter of hours, but in that time…I felt more for you than I had for any other person I have ever known. I want to get to know you better, Rachel. So yes, I came here for you. I'm sorry I left the way I did. I just wasn't sure what to say. I didn't know what I was doing until only a few weeks ago."

"Say that you'll stay with me and mean it this time."

"I'll stay with you." Finn smiled. "I swear it."

"Good." Rachel leaned up and pressed her lips gently against Finn's lips.

When they pulled away, the smirk remained on Finn's face. "I hope you don't mind. I took the liberty of getting myself a train ticket to New York City for tomorrow."

"I hope it will be the same one I will be on tomorrow."

"Ten am?"

"Ten am."

Finn leaned closer, his lips mere millimeters from hers. "Good." He kissed her deeply, caring about nothing in the world but the feeling of her lips on his.

* * *

Interesting facts: Sadly, President McKinley died eight days after being shot from gangrene. There was an x-ray on site that could have been used to find the bullets in his body but no one wanted to use it because they thought it could do further damage. Then when they finally did attempt to use it, the machine malfunctioned.

Also, an ornery elephant by the name of Jumbo that killed its trainer at the Expo was electrocuted in the stadium on the grounds for entertainment but survived due to his thick skin. Unfortunately, I don't know what happened to the elephant after his electrocution.


	2. 1918

My dear readers, I apologize profusely for how long it took to get this updated. Researching took a while, as did fighting with myself over details, then just writing it as it is over 16,000 words, but finally it is finished. Future chapters should not take quite as long as they will not span nearly an entire year. So without further ado...

* * *

Their wedding had been simple, just their closest friends and family at Town Hall in Lima. It wasn't the most spectacular event anyone had ever attended, but it was enough for her. She got what she had wanted out of it, Rachel had married the man she loved and became Mrs. Finn Hudson. She just wished he could stay longer.

They were due to marry June of that year but with the Great War finally hitting home, plans had changed. Rachel thought they had dodged a bullet when Finn hadn't been called up with the Ohio National Guard – of which he joined a few weeks after his twenty-first birthday – the year prior and would escape being called up to serve totally, but it seemed his time simply hadn't come yet.

Now almost a year after the US entered the war, Finn's number was up as more men were needed and he was off to fight, leaving Rachel behind.

He prayed every night that he wouldn't leave Rachel a widow before she could even be a wife. Finn promised Rachel they would marry the moment he returned home but Rachel ardently protested. It was unknown how much longer the war would last, and though she tried to avoid thinking about it, there was always the possibility Finn wouldn't return home. Rachel wanted to marry Finn and be his wife before he left for an unspecified amount of time so insisted they push the wedding date up to that weekend. It wasn't the beautiful spring wedding Rachel had envisioned in her mind's eye, but a February ceremony with the Justice of the Peace was enough for her if she could have Finn. He was due to report to Camp Sheridan in Alabama by the first of the month for basic training then would be shipping out to France to fight. They would have less than two weeks of wedded bliss before it all happened.

So there they were that Saturday evening after their quiet reception held at her old home, at the house that was now Rachel's new home. It was a small, quaint house which Finn's father had left to him that she and Finn had been working toward making their home with one another. It was the only thing that was truly theirs, where they would spend their lives together, raise their children together, grow old and happy together.

Ever since Finn had proposed only months prior, the excitement over being intimate with him had been growing but now she was extremely nervous about her wedding night as she thought about what it would pertain exactly. According to her mother, it would hurt at first and only Finn would really enjoy it but after time and practice the pain would lessen. Rachel hoped she was only exaggerating about the intense pain but something told her she wasn't.

Rachel had excused herself to the bathroom to change into her nightgown and ready herself for Finn while he went right to their room. She took great care with her lace wedding dress that had belonged to her mother as she removed her garments and slipped her new sleeveless nightgown on. Rachel hoped Finn would find it appealing. He had always seen her so put together and…clothed, but now she was going to him in nothing but a thin piece of cotton with her long dark hair in loose waves and cascading down her back and over her bare shoulders, her feet and legs clad in nothing. She had never shown herself to Finn that way before. She felt almost nude as she walked down the hallway toward her husband. Rachel knew that was the point, but it was still a little terrifying.

As she approached their door, a soft glow of light coming from the small opening Finn had left, Rachel swallowed her fears and held her head high. She loved Finn and Finn loved her. There was nothing to be frightened of. Her mother had told her the things she needed to know once she was married, and she was as prepared for this experience as she could be. Rachel pushed the door open to find Finn sitting on the edge of the bed in his skivvies and a sleeveless undershirt. He looked startled when Rachel walked in but smiled when Rachel closed the door behind her and gave him her own reassuring smile. Suddenly she felt more at ease when she remembered that this experience was new for Finn as well.

Sometimes she was still amazed that she had caught his eye at all. Finn was well known around town as he worked at the local butcher shop and ran deliveries for them as well as worked behind the counter. Many girls found themselves frequenting the store just to speak to Finn, Rachel included, but somehow out of all those girls, Rachel was the one Finn had found himself enjoying the conversation with most.

Rachel remembered the first time he had asked her on a date. He took her to the ice cream parlor in town and was such a nervous wreck he knocked his ice cream off his cone and all down his shirt and trousers. Rachel, not thinking about hand placement as she attempted to help clean him off, had managed to brush along the front of his trousers and was quite surprised when the area bulged quickly. Finn had turned beet red and quickly fled to calm down. He spent the rest of the night apologizing until he returned Rachel home and she shut him up with a kiss. It had been brash and assuming of her but she just enjoyed the way his mouth moved and wondered what it would feel like to have his lips on hers. The kiss had been electrifying and made Rachel feels things her body had never felt before. There was a pull to Finn she had never experienced prior and it only grew stronger the more often they saw each other.

Finally, Finn asked Rachel to marry him and now a mere two months later they were husband and wife. The wait had been long and arduous and every moment they couldn't touch seemed like torture. Rachel knew about sex. Though her mother had been reluctant to tell her about where babies came from when she was a child, after she had experienced her first pain of womanhood at the age of 13, her mother had finally explained about it and sex. She just didn't understand all the details until her mother sat her down a few days ago to talk about her wedding night.

Now Rachel was trying to remember everything her mother had said as she walked closer to the bed where Finn was waiting for her. Finn stood as she stopped in front of him and he wiped his palms on his underwear. Rachel blushed as she realized Finn was in his underwear in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Finn asked almost breathless.

Rachel nodded. "I'm just a little nervous."

"Me too."

"How do we start?" Rachel asked sheepishly.

Finn smiled softly, put his hands on her neck and leaned down to kiss her chastely before deepening the embrace. The tension in their bodies ebbed and they both fell into the feeling of their mouths meshing together. Finn hands moved down her neck over her shoulders and down her bare arms, making Rachel shiver and leaving goose bumps in their wake. His fingers entwined with hers as he lifted their hands to wrap her arms around his neck. Rachel was on her toes to reach his mouth as he was so much taller and sensing the difficulty, Finn ran his hands down Rachel's sides to lift her.

Rachel let out a squeal at the sudden shift in position and felt herself grow hot at Finn's hands on her thighs as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He sat down on the bed then and Rachel sat on Finn's thighs with her ankles locked just at his behind. They kissed slowly for a while just enjoying being able to taste each other and not having to worry about prying parents or gossipy neighbors. For the first time, Finn and Rachel could just be together without complication.

Soon Finn's hands began creeping up Rachel's bare thighs until they were under her nightgown completely and inching closer to her backside. Rachel could feel a throb in her lower body that was new and intense and she wondered what it was. Her mother had never mentioned that. In fact, now that Rachel thought about it, she couldn't recall her mother ever mentioning if sex was actually enjoyable for women as well as men. When her mother spoke about it she always made it sound like a chore and something to get through rather than an activity to look forward to. Now that Rachel was on the precipice, she wondered if her mother had told her the correct information.

Against her will, Rachel's hips bucked forward and she gasped in shock and pleasure when she felt something poke her very near where the throb was centralized. She broke their kiss and looked down to find that Finn's bulge was back but much larger this time. Rachel looked up into Finn's face and he was a light shade of pink.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"No. There's no reason to apologize. I liked it." She smiled shyly and resumed kissing, this time purposely rubbing herself against Finn's body. They both moaned at the feeling until Finn lifted Rachel without warning and flattened her on the bed. He hovered over her and looked into her face.

Finn's expression was unlike any she had seen him wear before. His eyes were dark and full of desire and the dull light from the flame in the lamp flickering over his features intensified this. His gaze pierced hers deeply as he shifted to hold himself up with one hand and push apart Rachel's legs with the other. She had no idea what she was doing but she tried to follow Finn's lead. Rachel spread her legs wider to allow Finn to fit between them then placed her hands on his shoulders until he sat up and pulled his shirt off.

Rachel's eyes widened and her pupils dilated as she stared at Finn's bare chest, mouth agape and cheeks flaming in shyness. He seemed more confident now somehow and it was making her feel warmer everywhere, the ache between her legs increasing tenfold. She wanted nothing more than to relieve the pressure. Then Finn pushed his skivvies down and Rachel nearly choked as she saw what had been creating the bulge. Now she was panicking. How was _that_ supposed to go inside her? Last she checked, nowhere below the waist had a spot wide enough for that.

"Finn," Rachel started, the panic she felt seeping into her tone, "w-wait." Finn paused his attempt to lower himself over her again and sat up when Rachel placed her hand on his chest. Her body shuddered a little at the contact and she had to fight to keep herself from gawking at Finn's manhood.

"Did I do something wrong? I didn't mean…"

"I'm just…" Rachel had no idea how to explain what she felt as she honestly didn't know how she felt. She wanted him so badly but at the same time was completely terrified. Her body was telling her one thing but her mother's voice was shouting in her head that it was going to hurt and not be enjoyable in the least. Now Rachel knew why it would hurt. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath to steady herself. "I love you."

"I love you too, Rachel." He leaned forward to kiss her, but Rachel stopped him again. "What's the matter, darling?"

"I just need to know that you'll be gentle."

Finn nodded his head in understanding. "Like you're a porcelain doll." He smiled at her. "I know you're nervous, Rachel, but so am I. I've never been here either. There is no one I would rather be here with though. You know that, right?"

Rachel smiled softly and nodded. "I know. I feel the same, Finn." She moved closer to him, kissing him gently, and pressed her forehead against his. "I'm ready." Rachel drew back and laid out again, her head falling onto the pillow and her hair spilling softly over it. She smiled widely as Finn moved between her legs. "Wait," Rachel cried. Finn groaned audibly as he sat up again but Rachel just giggled.

She lifted her hips and pulled her nightgown out from under her before bunching it up in her hands and lifting it over her head. When it was removed from her flesh, she threw it onto the floor and immediately blushed as Finn's eyes glazed over and his mouth dropped in awe. He was solely focused on her chest until his eyes fell to the apex of her legs. Rachel shifted to pull the blankets down and climbed under them, holding them up so Finn could do the same. They wouldn't be so exposed under the covers. She laid back down but this time took Finn's hands in hers and pulled him down with her.

The cold she felt when she removed the fabric from her body was replaced by the intense heat rolling off Finn as he came to rest on top of her under the covers, his weight on his forearms so he wouldn't crush her tiny body with his large one. Their mouths sought each other once more and fused together once found and Rachel moaned when she felt Finn rubbing himself against her. His skin was smooth and hot on hers and she was so tempted to reach between them and use her hands to feel, but as Finn had her hands pinned against the pillow her head was on, she could only use her hips to get closer. Then Rachel cried out as she felt Finn begin to enter her.

It was so painful as he pushed further and further inside her body, so much so tears sprang to her eyes and she yelled at Finn to stop. He pulled away and slipped out of her, worry written on his face at why she was crying.

"Are you alright? I'm so sorry."

Rachel pulled her legs closer together and took deep breaths as she wiped her eyes. She felt horrible at stopping them yet again but it truly was quite painful and in stark contrast to the needy throb she had felt before which had felt good. Her mother had been right. But that also meant that she was probably right about it lessening with time and practice.

"I'm sorry. I just needed a moment. I'm ready to continue."

"Are you positive? I don't want to hurt you, Rachel."

"It's quite alright. The only way it will get better is if we keep going." Rachel took Finn's hand in hers and slipped her fingers between his. "Please don't stop. I want to continue."

Finn looked even more nervous now and Rachel couldn't help but think about how absolutely sweet it was that he cared so much. So often Rachel heard stories about women in town whose husbands treated them like objects and not people. She loved so much about Finn that he treated her with such respect and reverence. It was why he was so popular with the girls in town. He always acted like a true gentleman.

Yet again, Finn and Rachel began kissing and moving things forward. This time Rachel was prepared for when Finn slid inside her. It still hurt just as much and Rachel could see on Finn's face that he felt awful about making her cry and causing her pain. She just pulled him closer and kissed him until the only thing on her mind was how amazing his lips felt against hers and how his body made hers feel. Soon, Finn's thrusts back and forth became smoother and Rachel's body began to accommodate him easier. The pain was still present but it was mixed with something else now. It was that throbbing from before, duller than it had been but growing as Finn continued. But before she could really allow herself to feel it and be overwhelmed by it, Finn was tensing above her and making these strange sounds. When Rachel opened her eyes she found Finn's mouth puckered in an 'o' shape and she could feel him pulsing inside her. Almost as soon as it happened, it was over.

Rachel wasn't sure what exactly had happened but as Finn slipped out of her and rolled away from her body, she could feel something warm begin dripping out of her. She lifted her head and the blanket and was surprised to see a thick white liquid seeping out from her body. Rachel was confused. That had never come out of her before. Was that normal? She slipped her hand between her folds and felt it. It was sticky and warm.

"Finn, did we do that right? What is this?" she asked, lifting her hand to show him the substance on her finger tips. His cheeks pinked.

"That's from me," he replied rather bashfully.

"Oh." Well that explained why she hadn't seen it before. "Does it always happen?"

"Basically. Don't worry, it's supposed to." Rachel felt like a silly little girl discussing this with him. Her mother had failed to mention that part.

Rachel pulled the blankets tighter around her body and sidled up to Finn more for warmth. "I probably sound like a child asking these questions," Rachel said seriously. "I wish the world would prepare us more for this."

Finn stroked Rachel's cheek. "It's not polite conversation to discuss what goes on behind closed doors." He pressed a kiss to Rachel's forehead. "We'll learn together." Finn paused and seemed to get shy again. "H-how was it for you? I know it hurt you, but after that…"

Rachel shrugged. "Perhaps it will get better with time. I'm just not used to it yet." Finn deflated a bit at this answer. "Please don't take it as an affront to your abilities. I'm sure it has nothing to do with you and your technique and everything to do with both of our inexperience. Once we become more acquainted with the action, I'm sure we'll both improve and enjoy it." Rachel gave him a pleasant smile and placed her hand on his cheek to pull him closer for a kiss. "I love you, Finn. Now let's go to bed."

She slipped out of Finn's hold and climbed out of bed to procure her nightgown and slipped it over her head while Finn searched for his own discarded undergarments. Rachel blew out the flame in the lamp and once both were covered and back in bed in the darkness, Finn held Rachel close and they slipped into peaceful rest.

Their time with one another passed entirely too quickly for both of them but it had been a splendid two weeks while it lasted. When Finn wasn't working at the butcher shop, he spent every moment he could with Rachel doing whatever they could to get quality time with each other. Their evenings were filled with dinner and music as Rachel sang for him while she cleaned and he watched. He joked about how he must have married a siren since her voice always put him in a trance. Their nights were spent in bed making love and getting better at it each time. For Rachel, it didn't hurt anymore and she actually loved how it felt after they discovered a few particular spots that made jolts of electricity shoot through her body to make her feel like jelly afterward.

It was the eve of Finn's departure that killed Rachel inside. They spent the entire night awake in bed, making love, talking, crying. Rachel couldn't stop the flow of tears that she had been shedding all night. Finn tried to cheer her up but no amount of humor or reassurance or kisses could take Rachel's mind off the fact Finn was leaving her alone to fight in a war thousands of miles away.

"It will be okay, Rachel," Finn said soothingly, brushing hair out of his entirely beautiful yet entirely devastated wife's face. Her eyes were puffy and rimmed red as was the tip of her nose. Her cheeks were tear stained and she hiccupped before another sob wracked her body. "I'm coming home, Rachel, I promise you. I'm coming home and we're going to start our lives together. We're going to have our home and a bunch of babies and grow old together like we planned."

"B-but you can't promise me that. What if-"

"Rachel," Finn cut off her thought before it could be voiced. Of course he was thinking the same thing. What if he didn't come home and couldn't keep that promise? There was a very great possibility he could die over there and Rachel would never see him again. "You can't…you can't think like that. You will drive yourself insane if you do. I _will_ come home to you."

Rachel just cried harder and pulled Finn's head closer to kiss him hard on the mouth. He rolled to cover her body with his and Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Rachel held Finn so tightly against her, it almost hurt. She couldn't let him leave. She needed him home and safe with her. What was she supposed to do without him? There was nothing to do.

"Rachel, you're hurting me," Finn winced as he pulled Rachel's hands off his back. She had dug her nails into his skin and it stung. "Darling, you need to breathe and relax."

"I can't. How can I relax when you're-"

Finn cut her off with a kiss. They had been over this numerous times that night already. Finn didn't want to talk about his potential demise anymore. He just wanted to focus on his wife. He needed to see her smile again before he left, to hear her laugh.

"No more talking about this," he said almost harshly, as Rachel bit her lip. Then he softened. "I love you."

"I love you." Rachel ran her hands through Finn's hair and he wiped away her tears with his thumb. She held his hand against her cheek and kissed his palm before Finn leaned down to kiss her tenderly.

Soon Rachel's crying and their talk of the war and Finn leaving was replaced by the sounds of their love making. When their bodies pressed together and they moved as if one being, Rachel wished with all her heart they could really melt together. If she could, she'd keep Finn with her always. She didn't understand why the war effort needed her Finn. There were millions of other men who could fight. The war would continue on or end without Finn sacrificing himself. The war didn't need him, but Rachel did. She needed him for so many reasons and it wasn't fair that pointless conflict on a different continent would dictate whether the love of her life would live or die. It wasn't right.

Unfortunately, Rachel had fallen asleep sometime in the early hours of the morning and when she awoke a few hours later to find Finn dressing she chastised herself for allowing sleep to overtake her. She watched Finn from their bed, not saying anything, pretending as if he was simply getting dressed to go to the butcher shop for a day of honest work before coming home to one of Rachel's superb dinners then spending the evening alone with her like they always did. Rachel vowed to hold herself together that day. She wouldn't allow Finn to see her shed anymore tears.

It lasted all of about 30 seconds. When Finn turned around and noticed Rachel watching him from the bed, he gave her a sad smile and Rachel's thin façade cracked and she immediately began crying again. Finn frowned and went to her side where Rachel threw herself into Finn's arms. She just held him tightly, afraid to let go. Neither said anything as they sat there on the bed for the last time in God knew how long.

It was three weeks after Finn had left that Rachel began feeling ill. Her stomach churned and she was uncharacteristically tired. Usually one for mornings, Rachel found that mornings were when her symptoms were the worst. It was while she was at lunch with her mother on a Friday in March that she noticed the change in her daughter.

"Rachel dear, are you feeling alright?" She felt her head for fever but Rachel didn't have one. She just seemed so drained.

"I've been a little tired lately. I've vomited a few times too."

Shelby's eyes widened. "Rachel! Why haven't you mentioned this before? This could be serious! What if you have Spanish flu! Don't you read the papers? It's very dangerous and affects people your age the most."

Rachel rolled her eyes. "Mother, I don't have any symptoms of influenza." She folded her hands in her lap and dipped her head. "I think it's because I miss Finn."

Shelby softened and put a comforting hand on Rachel's arm. "I'm sure Finn will be fine. He's a strong young man. Before you know it, he will be returning home."

Rachel tried to smile but only a ghost of one showed on her lips. Then her vision blurred as tears sprang to her eyes once more. She tried to wipe them away but it was too late as they began spilling. Shelby stood up and pulled Rachel to her feet to hug her which shocked her immensely. Shelby wasn't one for displays of affection, even at home. Rachel almost never saw her mother and father kiss in her 19 years of life and she very rarely hugged anyone.

When she held her closer, Rachel cried out and pulled away quickly, massaging where the pain had occurred. For some reason her breasts had been very tender and even the slightest pressure was enough to grit her teeth.

"I'm sorry. Did I poke you or something?" Shelby apologized wondering what had happened.

"No, no. I've just been very sensitive lately. Pressure on my chest hurts."

Shelby's eyebrows pulled together in thought before realization hit her. Fatigue, vomiting, sore breasts… "Rachel, when was the last time you menstruated?"

Rachel's mouth dropped in shock. "Mother!"

"I need to know, Rachel."

Embarrassment flooded Rachel's cheeks. She didn't particularly enjoy discussing her bodily functions with anyone. Prepared to answer quickly to get her mother off the subject, Rachel had to pause when it dawned on her that she didn't actually know. Her face scrunched in thought while she tried to remember. "Um, I…I can't remember."

"Rachel, have you had one since you and Finn have been married?"

Rachel thought about it. She definitely knew she hadn't had one while Finn had been home as every night had been spent in the heat of passion but now it was dawning on her that she hadn't had once since he left either. She was due for one around the first week of the month and had missed it. "No, I haven't." Rachel watched her mother's face pale as she sat back down at the kitchen table, her hand over her mouth as she stared quite pointedly at Rachel's abdomen. "Mother, you're worrying me. What is wrong?"

"Rachel, I believe you may be pregnant."

All she could do was stare at her mother incredulously. That wasn't possible. Finn was gone. She couldn't be pregnant while Finn was gone. They weren't going to start their family until after he returned home.

She began laughing like it was a funny new joke her mother was telling her. "I'm not pregnant."

"Rachel, what do you think intercourse is for?" her mother replied a little tersely.

"I-I…" Rachel didn't know how to respond to that. She had never really thought about it before. Of course she knew sex led to babies, her mother had explained that, but she hadn't exactly processed that what she and Finn did for fun could potentially lead to a child. "But Finn and I were going to wait."

Shelby shook her head in frustration. "You cannot pick and choose when to get pregnant, Rachel. It happens when it happens. I thought you understood when I explained this to you?"

"Explained what exactly? All you told me was that intercourse was something married people did that led to having a baby. You barely explained the mechanics of it."

"Well, obviously you figured it out yourself."

Rachel plopped herself down in her seat and stared down at her stomach. She certainly didn't look pregnant. Her body looked the same as ever. It made sense she supposed. Sex led to babies and she and Finn had a lot of sex over the period they had been married.

"What am I supposed to do?" Rachel whispered aloud to no one in particular.

Her mother answered anyway. "You need to see a doctor before anything. There's no certain way to know, but the doctor can give us a better idea. Then you need to decide if you want to keep it."

"What?" Rachel looked up at her mother in shock. Why wouldn't she keep it? Sure, a child now was unexpected and would be hard to swallow without Finn by her side, but it was their baby. A little piece of her and Finn. Rachel protectively held her stomach, feeling as if she were about to be sick.

"You might be married but that doesn't mean you're ready to be a mother. If you really do not want this child, there are ways to take care of it."

Rachel shook her head. "I am not getting rid of our child. This baby is Finn's." Then the thought that the child might be all she had left of Finn if he were to die pierced her brain. There was no way she was giving it up. She would do everything in her power to protect this child and raise it right.

"If that is what you want, then okay." Shelby put her hand out for Rachel to take. Rachel looked at it as if it were a snake about to attack. She couldn't believe her mother would even suggest such a thing. Hesitantly, Rachel put her hand in her mother's. "I'm here for you. We'll schedule to meet with the doctor and we'll start planning. You should write to Finn to tell him he's going to be a father."

Rachel worried her lip and played with the fabric of her dress. "What if I don't tell him?"

"That's absurd. He deserves to know."

"But what if it distracts him from his duties and he... As much as I pray that he will return home to me safely, what if he doesn't? Wouldn't it be better for him to not know what he would be missing?"

"If you were in his position wouldn't you want to know that even if you were to perish at least a little part of you would survive?" she countered. "And what would happen if he returned home and found you with a baby he didn't know about? Think of that scandal."

Rachel could see her mother's point. She hoped Finn wouldn't jump to the conclusion that she had been unfaithful while he was gone but Finn had a bit of a temper and did occasionally speak before thinking. Rachel nodded in agreement. Finn deserved to know.

"I just hope it doesn't affect his ability to fight."

Shelby smiled at her daughter. "Finn loves you more than anything in this world. If anything, I bet knowing that a little one will be waiting for him to return safely home as well as you will make him fight all that much harder to make it through."

Rachel smiled weakly back at her mother as Shelby took her hand once more. She really hoped her mother was right.

To Rachel's absolute delight, the next day before she and her mother were due to visit the doctor, Rachel received a letter from Finn. It wasn't the first that had arrived since he had left for Alabama, but it was great to hear some news of him.

It was short and to the point but the content was more than enough to make Rachel's heart soar. Finn would have a week of leave after training before needing to report for duty to be shipped over to Europe. Rachel was beyond elated and squealed as she clutched the letter to her chest. It had only been three weeks and would be another 12 before Finn would return.

She left her home that morning with a bounce in her step and when she arrived at her mother and father's home, Shelby could see the glow of happiness on her face. Rachel explained the news and how happy she was that Finn was returning even if only for a week. It meant she would get to see her husband again and wouldn't need to tell him in a letter of her situation. She wondered if she would be showing by the time Finn came home and added it to the list of questions she had for the doctor.

Over the next 12 weeks, Rachel had been confirmed to be pregnant and everyone in town seemed to know. The rumor mill had started running wild with ideas that Rachel's condition was the reason their wedding had been moved up, that she had been unfaithful, and that she was simply faking it to earn sympathy. The hushed whispers hurt but Rachel tried not to focus on them. She knew the truth and that was all that mattered.

She had been in the middle of an afternoon nap after having made herself lunch and cleaned the kitchen when she felt the bed sink next to her and a large hand on her shoulder. Rachel turned in fright toward the person touching her, a scream escaping her lips until she saw it was Finn. Rachel pinched herself to be sure she wasn't still in her nap dreaming that Finn had come home. He was actually home, in their room, on their bed, with a huge smile just for her.

Without a word, Rachel sat up and threw herself into Finn's waiting arms. She put her hands everywhere she could reach to be sure he was actually there, not a mirage, not her sleepy brain imagining him. He was solid and whole and real.

"Finn, you're home," she cried, still in disbelief as she pulled away and put her hands on his face. He put his hands over hers and closed his eyes, enjoying being home. "I've missed you so much." Rachel leaned forward and kissed him deeply.

It felt like the first time, full of that electricity that drove her wild yet with even more burning passion. Neither spoke as they began pulling at the other's clothes, their kiss only breaking when they needed air, until they were in that familiar dance both appreciated. Rachel still found it interesting that for a man so uncoordinated in most physical tasks, he was quite proficient when it came to making love.

As Finn laid her down and attacked her neck with kisses, it struck Rachel that perhaps it was unsafe for the baby but then she thought about how she had been unknowingly pregnant before and had sex without problem. Using all her strength, Rachel flipped her and Finn over to rest astride his thighs. Finn was surprised by the action, but he smiled and only smoothed his hands up her sides to her breasts. They were still quite tender and when Finn attempted to squeeze one, Rachel winced and removed his hands.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just…" She placed his hands on her hips before lifting her body to sink down on him. Usually Finn enjoyed this position for the reason of being able to enjoy her breasts but it was just too painful to allow. Rachel leaned down and kissed Finn as she slipped her fingers into his hair and moved back and forth, taking him in and out of her. His hands found purchase on her backside and he moaned into Rachel's mouth as she down thrust.

It had only been 15 weeks apart but it might as well have been 150 years. Rachel had been so emotional lately and missed Finn so much that as she made love to him, she began crying. Finn pushed them both up so they were sitting and wiped her tears. He stopped them and stared at Rachel with concern.

"Rachel, what's wrong, darling? Why are you crying?"

"I just missed you so much." She wrapped her arms around Finn's neck and pressed her lips to his once more before continuing her movements.

If it were possible he felt even bigger than before as he smoothly slid in and out of her, brushing the spot inside that always made her feel like she would explode. Her body tingled with want as the little nub outside brushed his body with every motion and made her tremble in her husband's arms. Then when his hand slid down her side and over her stomach, she clenched her body hoping Finn wouldn't notice she was pregnant yet. She wanted to tell him, but not in the middle of their physical intimacy. He didn't seem to realize anything however and just held his hand between them while his thumb flicked over her nub and forced a whine from her throat as her head fell back. He smiled and kissed her throat before circling it again and again until finally Rachel was shuddering in his grasp and clawing at his back for support. Then all at once she went limp and her cheek rested on his shoulder as she relaxed. Finn thrust quickly a few more times until he finally joined her in exhausted trembling.

Usually neither were so entirely drained after only one go, but Rachel was nearly constantly tired these days and her body and emotions had been so all over the place over the past few weeks that it was taking its toll. Finn laid back down and Rachel snuggled against him as he held her close and kissed her forehead. Rachel ran her hand up and down his chest, feeling every bit of him she could while she had the chance.

"That was quite a homecoming," Finn said with a chuckle in his tone.

Rachel smiled up at him. "Just wait until you return from Europe." Her smile faded however and her tone turned more serious. "Finn, you have to come back home. You have to make it through."

Finn ran his fingers through Rachel's hair. "I will. I swear it."

"No, you don't understand. Finn, you _have_ to come home." Her voice was watery with tears. "I can't do this alone. I need you with me."

"Can't do what alone?" Finn was confused by what she meant. Go through life alone? He didn't want that for her at all, but he knew she would survive if he died. She was a strong woman.

Rachel took Finn's hand in hers and placed it on her lower abdomen where their baby was growing. "We need you, Finn. I need you and so does our baby." Her face was blank as she waited for Finn to react. He gaped at her a little as he sat up to look down at her bare stomach. Now that he was looking, he could see that she had gained a little weight since he had been away, a rounded bump protruding from her body.

"Y-you're pregnant?" he breathed in shock. Rachel nodded her head still unsure what was going through Finn's mind. "But…how?" Rachel was poised to explain but Finn cut her off. "I mean, I know _how_ but…but…"

"I was shocked too. I know it isn't what we planned but neither was you going to war. Things don't always go according to plan." Rachel was nervous about Finn's reaction. He didn't seem as happy as she had hoped he would be. "Finn, this isn't a bad thing."

"It isn't? Now instead of just leaving you, I have to leave you and our baby! It was hard enough knowing I might die leaving you a widow but now I'll leave a child fatherless." Finn got off the bed and started pacing as he pulled on his hair. Rachel was surprised by his sudden mood swing. She was the pregnant one; shouldn't she be the one with ever changing mood? He had been so sure of his return before but now he seemed to be wavering.

Rachel got up too and forced Finn to look at her. "Finn…Finn, look at me." He had tears in his eyes as he stared down at her. Before he left, Finn had been Rachel's rock, reassuring her everything would be alright constantly to keep her worry down, but now it seemed the roles were reversed. Finn was losing it and Rachel needed to bring him back. "Finn, everything will be fine." Rachel smiled. "We'll get through this and you'll come home and we'll be a family. You won't leave anyone, Finn. You promised me you would come back."

"And what if I don't? It's hard to be optimistic when you hear about what is happening over there. I'm going to war where men die as often as they breathe." Rachel stepped closer to Finn and held him, her head on his chest as he rested his chin on hers and wrapped his arms around her body.

"You're going to make it out. Nothing we do can change the fact that you are going over there. Neither of us can prevent it. But think of what you're fighting for. Who cares about Germany or France, fight for us Finn. Fight to come back home to us. Fight to stay alive," Rachel pleaded with him. What did an international conflict matter when Finn had a family to love and care for? He needed to focus on surviving for them.

Finn tilted Rachel's head back and looked deeply into her eyes before placing a lingering kiss on her lips.

If there were anything in the world worth fighting for it was the woman before him and their baby she carried.

Their week together seemed to blink by in an instant and again they were having a tearful departure as Finn readied to make his way to Newport News, Virginia where he would ship out for France. Though they knew they were earning stares from neighbors as they kissed on the porch of their home, neither really cared. It was the last time in a long time they would get to spend together and neither was willing to waste it. Rachel tried to smile for him as Finn left her alone on the porch to walk to the train station. She stayed out on the porch watching his body get smaller and smaller until he was gone then promptly fell onto the porch swing and cried harder than she ever had.

All too soon Finn was ripped from Rachel's arms and thrust into a war a thousand miles away.

After being in the trenches in France for months, Finn was used to the stench of rot and death. When he had first arrived however the sight and smell of his surroundings were so horrific he vomited. The men in his regiment were aware of the horrible conditions but Finn thought he might have had an advantage being a butcher. He dealt with blood and guts all the time. There was a huge difference between chopping up a cow he hadn't actually had to slaughter and watching the bodies of his fellow soldiers piling up and rotting until they could be buried. He didn't know how the Europeans had managed to survive in the trenches for years.

The only thing that got him through was the thought of Rachel and their baby, safe at home, far away from all the death and destruction.

Finn spent every opportunity he had writing Rachel letters. Though in the few he had received from her she asked how life in the trenches really was in comparison to the stories she heard and read about, he refused to tell her of the true depth of the honesty of the stories. He avoided telling her about the rats, the mud, the blood, the smell of decay, the trench foot. Finn only wrote of his surviving and the friends he had made in both his regiment and with a few of the French soldiers that hadn't yet sacrificed their lives for the effort. His favorite topic however was discussing Rachel and the baby.

He had so many questions for her about how she was feeling and what it was like to be pregnant. He thought of names for boys and girls but ultimately decided that Rachel should choose their child's name since she was carrying him or her. According to Rachel, everyone she discussed her pregnancy with, which was mostly her parents, his mother, and the new woman to town whom she hired as a housemaid, believed she was having a boy, but Rachel felt in her heart they would have a little girl. Finn didn't much care whether it was a boy or a girl; he just wanted him or her to be healthy.

_September 8__th__, 1918_

_My Dearest Finn,_

_ You cannot fathom how happy it made my heart to see I had a new letter from you. Each one gives me more hope that you'll return safely to me and our baby. I miss you so much. I keep pinching myself trying to wake from this dream where you aren't here but it never works. I pray every day that this war will end and you can come back to me._

_ I am so sorry to hear that your friend Artie was paralyzed. At least he can take some comfort in the fact he at least is alive and can return home to his wife. There are worse fates. He and the rest of the men fighting alongside you are in my prayers as well._

_ On a happier note, the doctor says I am 29 weeks along in my pregnancy which means between nine and thirteen more until little Franklin or Evelyn is born. Mother has been helping me prepare for her arrival and your mother has been visiting more frequently as well. She loves to tell me stories about you as a baby and I love to hear them. You sounded absolutely adorable. I wish you were here so much. She is so strong, Finn. She loves when I sing to her and dances along to my voice making my stomach bumpy with her kicks. I cannot wait for you to meet her. Or him I suppose. I simply feel that we are having a girl no matter how much Santana protests. She has two boys and says the way I am carrying the baby is the same way she did._

_There hasn't been much new since my last letter. Every day is the same. I grow larger, help my father at his practice on occasion, lunch with my mother and spend evenings with Santana and her boys, imagine you home with me. I'm so grateful that Santana came to town. I would have no one to talk to and the house would be entirely too lonely without her around. She has been instrumental in getting me through this. Unlike everyone else I've ever met, Santana is very blunt and unafraid to speak her mind. She's explained more about pregnancy to me than even my own mother! Spending time with little Robert and George has really helped me in preparing for toddlers and young children as well. They are both quite the little troublemakers. They ask about you all the time. As I've mentioned in previous letters, their father was killed in Belgium. Both hope that you won't suffer the same fate, as do I._

_I love you, Finn, and I miss you. I look forward to your next letter and your safe and sound return home. Please always remember what I said. Fight to come home to us. We're both waiting for you._

_All my love and forever yours,_

_Rachel_

Finn read the letter multiple times, imagining Rachel sitting at the secretary writing it thinking of him. He closed his eyes and held the paper up to his nose to smell the perfume Rachel had doused it in. His mind went wild thinking about her skin being covered in the same scent, luring him in to run his hands over her soft olive flesh, drinking in her body and needing her. Despite his location he was getting lost in the fantasy of being alone with his wife until shots fired broke him of these sensual and personal thoughts.

He snapped to attention and folded Rachel's letter up to tuck it in his pocket for safety. Men were scrambling about getting into positions behind machine guns and preparing their bayonets if the need came. When Finn found his friend Puckerman, he asked what was going on.

"Men saw a few German scouts poking around. Shot 'em down easy. I'll never understand why they bother trying to leave the trench when they get mowed down so easily. Whoever invented this idea of fighting is a moron. I bet it was the French." Puckerman really disliked the French and having to work with them. The French's feelings toward him were mutual.

Finn was indifferent in how he felt about the French but he had to agree with Puckerman's assessment of this fighting strategy. It was impossible to gain ground when you were burrowed inside it and every time you even tried to stand up there was the chance of getting your head shot off. It was a real problem for Finn as he was so tall. If he survived the war he would be lucky to be able to stand straight ever again. It was no wonder neither side had won yet with the idiocy of trench warfare.

"Let's hope this offensive they're planning will actually work. I've got a life to get back to."

"You ain't the only one. I got a beautiful blonde waiting for me back in Cleveland. I'd rather be fucking her than ducking in a dirty ditch trying not to die."

The gunfire seemed to quiet then as both sides realized it was pointless. The men could rest easy for a moment so Finn took it. He went back to his poor excuse for a bed and pulled Rachel's letter out again, holding it near the flame to read it in the dark. Finn was about halfway through when Puckerman came up to him.

"So what's she look like? I know you got a wife. You've never said what she looks like though."

Finn pulled the only picture he had of Rachel with him out of his pocket and handed it over to Puckerman. "She's pretty," he complimented. Finn smiled in agreement. "Bit of a nose on her though." Finn's face fell.

"That's my wife you're talking about."

Puckerman put his hands up in defense. "Just stating the obvious. She is pretty though."

Finn took his picture back and looked at it longingly. "She's the most beautiful woman I've ever known." He smirked as memories flooded his brain. "Rachel was honestly surprised that I liked her. She even pointed out all her flaws and said I could have any girl in town when I asked her on a date the first time. I agreed and told her that the girl in town I wanted was her. Rachel's so beautiful and she doesn't even realize it." Finn chuckled as he thought about how cute Rachel had been when she walked into the butcher shop dressed in her finest. She looked so out of place with meat hanging around her as she picked up the roast her mother had ordered. "I was so nervous to talk to her but I had to. She has the prettiest voice in all of Ohio, probably the whole world, and ever since I heard her sing at the town Strawberry Social, I've been hooked. I just had to convince her to take a chance on me."

"Yeah, she doesn't sound like Quinn at all. Quinn knows she's a stunner. I wouldn't be surprised if she found someone else while my ass is over here," Puckerman replied in defeat. "She said she would marry me when I got home, but who knows if that will happen. I didn't want to make her a widow." He looked at Finn in question. "Do you regret marrying Rachel then leaving her to come here? What if you die?"

Finn took a deep breath and sat pensively. He thought about the time they had been able to share together and their baby. It would be awful if he did die and left Rachel alone to raise their child, and it might have been selfish, but he couldn't bring himself to regret marrying Rachel. "No," he replied quietly, still staring at her picture, "I would rather have been with Rachel for two and a half weeks than never at all. I wanted to postpone the wedding until I got back, but Rachel didn't want to wait." The corner of his mouth raised in a half-smile. "The two and a half weeks I got to spend with her before coming here were the best of my life. I could never regret that. And she's having my baby. At least now if I can't make it home, Rachel will always have some part of me with her."

Puckerman nodded at him. "You ever think about shooting yourself in the foot and going home? You would be able to see her and your kid."

Finn shook his head no. "As badly as I want to go home and see both of them, I don't want to be a coward. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I took the easy way out."

The other man was about to add something until his name was called by an officer. "I'll talk to you later." He clapped him on the back and Finn went back to reading Rachel's letter again.

Three days later in the early hours of the morning on September 26th, Finn found himself preparing to fight to take back some town he couldn't even pronounce the name of. They were in a forest and it was dark as the men in charge coordinated everyone to begin the offensive. As Finn waited for orders, he closed his eyes and steadied his breathing. He tried to think about his task and what must be accomplished but all that came to mind was Rachel.

Finn could imagine her smiling face and her beautiful laugh as he told her a joke, how determined she looked when mending a dress or baking a pie, the peace that came to her as she drifted off to sleep in his arms after they would make love. Based on when her letter was dated she was now around eight months pregnant. She would be a mother soon and he would be a father and instead of being able to welcome his child to the world, there was a very high possibility he was going to die that day in a forest in France, thousands of miles away from everything he knew and loved.

"You ready?" Puckerman asked from beside him, breaking him out of his thoughts on Rachel and home. It really was time to focus.

"Not really, but I guess it doesn't matter if I am or not."

Puckerman put his hand out for Finn to shake. "Good luck, Hudson."

"Same to you."

They moved in silence through the forest then until enemy came into view and quickly both found themselves charging to fight while bombs and gunfire rang around them. Everything moved so fast yet in slow motion as the fighting swirled around Finn. It wasn't his first time being engaged by the enemy but this was the largest battle he had partaken in thus far.

In an attempt to stay alert, Finn and Puckerman stayed close to help each other out and the strategy hadn't yet failed them. Finn had just pulled Puckerman behind a tree and saved him from a shot that zipped past the tree and into an infantryman behind them, killing him instantly. Puckerman nodded at him in gratitude before they both continued moving forward, shooting down any enemy fighters in the way.

All too soon, the situation turned to utter chaos as Finn heard a large whizzing sound coming closer until a loud explosion occurred to his left and was so powerful it blew him back into Puckerman, knocking both men to the ground. Once the shock of still being alive passed, Finn sat up and looked around. Smoke filled the area and he could hear men yelling in multiple languages but only out of his right ear. There was only ringing in Finn's left ear. Finn put his hand against it and when he pulled his hand away it was covered in blood. In a panic, Finn felt around for the wound but sighed when he realized there wasn't one. Just the ringing.

But it begged the question, where was the blood from. Remembering Puckerman suddenly, he looked down to his right and found his friend sprawled on the ground, blood pouring out of his side that had apparently been ripped open from shrapnel from the blast. He was unconscious.

"Puckerman!" Finn cried, frantically crawling over him, checking for any signs of life. He still had a pulse, but barely. Finn could feel tears prickling behind his eyes but he couldn't succumb to his emotions at the moment. There was war around him and his friend was going to die for sure if he couldn't get it together. He looked up to gain his bearings but in the fray, he could barely tell which way was up. There were men in all uniforms scattered around and shots seemed to come from every direction. The blast had disoriented him.

Finn looked down at his friend and knew he needed to find a medic immediately. He got up and lifted Puckerman over his shoulder heading in the direction he believed he had come from. Unfortunately, he didn't have a chance to figure out where he was as a sharp pain shot through his shoulder and he fell forward.

The last thing he saw before his fuzzy vision blacked out completely was Rachel's beautiful smiling face.

Back in Ohio, Rachel awoke with a start as she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She pushed herself up into a sitting position and wiped the sweat that had formed on her brow away before affectionately rubbing her hand over her swollen belly. It seemed the closer she got to her due date and the longer Finn was away, the more restless her nights had become. Before she startled awake, Rachel had been having a terrible nightmare. Gun smoke and blood was everywhere as she tromped through a forest searching for him until she tripped and landed on her stomach. As she lifted her head and looked back at what had tripped her, she tried to scream but nothing escaped her lips. It was her husband, her Finn, staring at her with dead eyes as he lay on the ground ripped open. She didn't know what the sharp sting in her chest had been, but it combined with her horrible nightmare was unnerving and left her with a feeling of dread.

Rachel climbed out of bed and put on her slippers before slipping on her housecoat to head to the bathroom. When she finished her business, Rachel stared at her reflection. She looked like a whale with her stomach so bloated but she didn't much care. Rachel could only smile as she smoothed her hands over her stomach and thought about the life growing inside her. The life she and Finn had created.

As she held the front of her stomach and exited the bathroom to move to the kitchen, she felt a tiny push against her hand. She wasn't sure if it was a hand or a foot, but it was strong, and over the time she had been able to feel the kicks, Rachel had realized they were stronger and more frequent when she thought about Finn. Her heart beat faster and the movement inside her began anew.

"I'm happy you love Daddy as much as I do. He is going to love you so much. He already misses you," Rachel cooed to her belly. When she made it to the kitchen she was surprised to find her mother there as well. "Mother. What are you doing awake?"

"I heard you wandering around and it woke me. Are you alright?"

Rachel shrugged. "Physically I'm alright." Rachel sat down at the kitchen table. "I miss Finn. Even Evelyn does." They both looked down at Rachel's stomach where her hand was resting.

"How do you know it isn't little Franklin who misses his father?" Shelby asked, eyeing Rachel like she didn't believe her.

"I suppose she could be a he but I really don't think so despite what you, Father, and Santana believe. Finn and I are going to have a beautiful baby girl." Rachel took the glass of warm milk her mother handed her and sipped liberally. Warm milk always helped Rachel fall asleep again.

Shelby sat across from her and put her hand out. Rachel took it in hers. "Did you have another nightmare?"

Rachel swallowed and looked down at her belly. "It was just a dream. It doesn't mean anything."

"What did you dream?"

"I would prefer not to discuss it. I can still see it when I close my eyes and I don't wish to dwell on it."

Shelby put her other hand over their entwined ones. "The war is very nearly over. All the papers keep saying so. He's made it this far. He'll come home."

Tears began falling from Rachel's eyes as she whimpered. "I have this terrible feeling he won't. Finn will never get to see me again, he will never meet our child, he'll be dead before he's twenty-three. How am I supposed to do everything alone? I need him with me. She needs him." Rachel rubbed her stomach and felt a little nudge again.

"You won't be alone, Rachel. I know Finn will come home…and even if he weren't…you would have me and your father and Miss Santana is here to help. And you are young still. You could always find another man."

Rachel gasped in shocked and withdrew her hand. Her mother's words always seemed so reassuring and helpful until she stepped too far and offended. "I love Finn. I don't care how young I am. I will never remarry. Finn is the love of my life and you only get one." She stood from her chair and grabbed her milk. "I'm feeling sleepy again. If you'll excuse me…" She stormed back up to her bedroom and closed the door behind her before crawling into bed where she promptly began crying herself to sleep.

About a week later, Rachel was at the piano, playing and singing to entertain Robert and George while Santana was upstairs tidying the bedrooms. She was in the middle of a sing-along when there was a knock on the door. Rachel left the boys in the living room and went to answer it with a smile on her face. It was immediately replaced by worry as a man from town grimly handed her a telegram. He gave her a sympathetic smile without a word before backing off the porch and leaving Rachel alone at the door staring at the telegram.

Her hands shook as she opened the paper. Her eyes were already so full of tears she couldn't even read the words. She blinked away the pooled tears and the words became clearer. Rachel's entire world came crashing down around her as she let out a gruesome scream. She stumbled back into the wall and began sliding down it as the tears flowed easily and she clutched the little piece of paper in a death grip.

Both boys ran to the door before Robert told George to get their mother. A minute later, Santana rushed to Rachel's side.

"Rachel! What happened? Is the baby coming?" All she could do was cry harder. "Rachel, look at me! What is going on?"

Rachel forced herself to look up into Santana's eyes, full of concern. She handed her the telegram before drawing inward again and sobbing louder.

Santana smoothed out the crumpled paper and read what had made Rachel so upset. She gasped as a few choice words popped out at her: _missing in action – presumed dead._

Finn had gone missing, was presumed dead, and Rachel herself was dying inside now as well.

Though Santana had never met Mr. Hudson, she had grown quite close with his wife since arriving to town a war widow herself with two young boys to care for. She had been unable to find work as well as a place for the boys as both were too young for school yet, but Rachel had been kind enough to allow her to bring the boys with her when she hired her on as a maid. Cleaning other people's houses wasn't exactly Santana's dream job, but until the boys were older and more independent, it would have to suffice.

What she hadn't been expecting out of the job was to befriend her employer. She had arrived early for work one day and found Rachel alone in the kitchen crying. She had been about six months pregnant at the time and very emotional as she didn't have anyone to talk to besides her mother and her husband was away fighting. Santana had been through similar and knew how she felt and the two had bonded over it. Now she had to help her through the grief that came from losing one's husband as well as being a single mother.

Santana knelt in front of Rachel who was still sobbing uncontrollably and clutching her stomach like it was all she had in the world. Santana supposed now it was. That baby was the only piece of Finn she had now and it was all that would keep her going.

"Rachel, we need to get you off the floor. I'll help you upstairs and into bed alright? Robert," Santana called to her eldest. He walked over looking frightened and sad for Miss Rachel. "Can you please take your brother into the kitchen and play some Old Maid or dominoes?" He nodded at her and took his brother into the kitchen to give them some space.

Santana turned back to Rachel. "I'm going to lift you now, okay? You need to help me though." She started lifting Rachel to her feet but she may as well have been a ragdoll for how much effort she put into getting up. Once Santana had succeeded however, Rachel seemed to stay upright as she led her to the stairs. They climbed them together slowly and about halfway up, stronger sobs wracked Rachel's body and she nearly collapsed. Santana managed to keep her on her feet, but she basically had to drag Rachel the rest of the way to her bedroom.

When she got her there, Rachel flopped onto her bed and closed her eyes as she cried. Santana handed her a handkerchief for her nose and promptly began undressing her so she would be more comfortable in bed. Now that she was there, Santana knew she wouldn't be leaving for a while. Once she was sure Rachel would be alright without her for a few moments, Santana went downstairs to collect her boys and ran to the Berry residence to inform Shelby of what happened.

For the next five weeks, Rachel was lethargic and silent as she mourned the loss of her husband. If she were not pregnant and wouldn't have a child to care for in a matter of days, she probably would have allowed herself to waste away to nothing. What was the point when the man you loved was gone and never coming back? But she was pregnant and was going to be a mother so she pushed on.

"Rachel, you need to get out of bed. I know this is a painful burden to carry but you cannot spend the rest of your life in bed. You have a child to prepare for. Have you even practiced changing diapers yet?" Shelby scolded as she walked through Rachel's room to the window where the curtains were drawn. As she pulled them open and allowed the sun to pour in, Rachel shielded her eyes and turned onto her other side to escape the light. What was the point of light when she constantly felt shrouded in darkness?

"The doctor says she isn't due for another two weeks."

"Well, just like with getting pregnant, it happens when it happens. Baby's run on no one's schedule but their own. You should be prepared for anything. Who knows, maybe he or she will come today…" Shelby kissed her daughter's forehead before moving over to the wardrobe to find a suitable dress for Rachel to wear for the day. She needed to get Rachel out of the house. Though she was in mourning, she could not stay cooped up in bed forever. "Now, let's get you dressed and downstairs for the lovely breakfast Santana has prepared for you today."

Shelby forced Rachel out of bed and onto her feet. She grudgingly allowed her mother to help her get dressed and traipsed downstairs in a sullen and bitter mood that had become the norm since receiving the telegram of Finn's status and the further solidification in a proper letter from the Army. Rachel sank into a chair at the kitchen table as Santana slid a plate of pancakes and eggs in front of her. Now that the food was in front of her she realized just how hungry she and Baby really were. She picked at her food, ignoring her mother and Santana conversing about some trivial topic dealing with her father's practice.

After the forced breakfast, Shelby took Rachel on a forced walk into town. She needed to do something to get her mind off of everything. Unfortunately, when they passed by the butcher shop where Finn used to work Rachel had a meltdown and Shelby rushed her home quickly. Her sobs had ceased by the time they arrived, but the tears still fell silently as she followed her mother into her house.

"What happened?" Santana asked when she saw the state Rachel was in.

Shelby rolled her eyes. It wasn't that she was completely heartless and couldn't understand what Rachel was going through but she thought it was mildly ridiculous to cry over the butcher shop. "We walked past the butcher shop Finn used to work at and she broke into tears. I brought her home immediately. We don't need the entire town seeing her as a crying mess. They talk about her enough as it is." Shelby moved to help Rachel upstairs but Rachel wouldn't budge. "Rachel, what's wrong now?"

"I'm wet," she stated blandly. Rachel took a step back and there was a puddle of liquid on the floor where she had been. Her mother's face turned to shock and she yelled at Santana to grab some towels to clean up the mess and Rachel, then to get the doctor. "What's going on?" Rachel was so confused as her mother ushered her upstairs.

"Your water broke. The baby is coming soon, Rachel."

Twenty-two hours later, Rachel laid in bed cradling her sleeping newborn, admiring her hard work at carrying her for months on end then giving birth to her. It had taken nearly twenty hours and she was exhausted and wanted to sleep herself, but Rachel couldn't take her eyes off her beautiful baby girl. She had been right. Rachel and Finn had a baby girl. She was the most precious thing Rachel had ever seen. Her hair was dark and seemed to curl at the ends just like Rachel's did if left untamed and her eyes as well bore a resemblance to Rachel's in shape though they were deep blue in color. She had a slight little nose, a very delicate feature on her face unlike Rachel's which was prominent, which Rachel assumed Evelyn had gotten from her father, and her mouth reminded her of Finn's. Her skin was quite fair just like Finn's as well. She was both of them combined into one tiny, adorable, perfect package.

"You're so beautiful." Rachel caressed her tiny head softly before slipping her finger into her little hand. She clutched it tightly in her sleep. "You look so much like your daddy." Her eyes began to well with tears again, this time out of pain of the heart rather than labor. "I miss him so much. I wish you could have met him. He would have loved you and I think you really would have loved him too."

Rachel dared to fantasize about Finn walking through the door with a big smile on his face as he sat on the bed next to her, kissing her forehead then welcoming their daughter to the world. She cried harder but tried to be quiet to keep from disturbing their infant's sleep. Just as she let the failure of the fantasy consume her, her mother entered the room to find her crying again with the baby in her arms.

She looked at her sympathetically as she sat next to her and stroked her cheek. "Rachel, I know how much you loved Finn-"

"Love," Rachel interrupted harshly.

"What?"

"Love. You said loved past tense. I don't care if he is gone, I still love Finn and I always will." She was determined in her stance as she looked from her mother back down to her baby.

"I know how much you love Finn, but you can't keep dwelling on his demise. You have to begin to move forward. You have responsibilities now that prevent you from acting selfishly. Do you believe Finn would want you to sulk forever when you have a child that needs your care and love? A child that is his?"

Rachel's bottom lip quivered as the tears threatened to begin anew. She knew her mother was right. It was perfectly fine to wallow while she was pregnant, she hadn't been doing much else before then anyway with her condition, but now Evelyn was born and needed to be taken care of. She couldn't spend all hours of the day in bed crying for her lost love. Rachel had to be strong for her daughter…and for herself.

"Mother, I'm quite exhausted. Could you possibly put Evelyn in her bassinet so I can rest please?" Rachel asked, staring down at Evelyn, still content and peaceful, not a care in the world.

Shelby moved the bassinet closer to Rachel and lifted her out of her daughter's arms to place her tiny body inside it. Shelby left her next to Rachel's bed within an arm's reach if she were to wake and need feeding or changing. "Get some sleep Rachel. You've had a very long night and you are in for many more. I'll stay with you until you get on your feet. Sleep well." Shelby pressed a kiss to Rachel's forehead leaving her and her granddaughter alone.

Three days later, on November 11th, the war officially ended. Finn had died less than two months before the war's end.

After Evelyn's birth, Rachel barely seemed to have time to think of anything but babies. Evelyn never slept through the night which meant Rachel never did either. She constantly needed to be fed and changed and visitors were always stopping by to see the new baby. But through it all however, Rachel never let how sad and tired she was show. She needed to be strong despite everything and she was going to be.

It wasn't until Finn's mother stopped by to visit with her daughter-in-law and granddaughter that the wall Rachel built to keep her emotions at bay crumbled.

"She really is beautiful, Rachel. She looks like a perfect mixture of you and Finn," Carole complimented Evelyn as she looked down at her in her arms. When she looked up she saw Rachel trying to hold back her tears. "My dear, are you alright?"

Rachel wanted to say she was fine as usual, but she couldn't bring herself to. She shook her head no and dropped it into her hands. "No. I am not alright. I haven't been alright for months and I doubt I ever will be again."

Carole stood up from her seat and went to sit next to Rachel on the sofa. "This must be so hard on you," she stated, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know how much you love Finn, even still. I felt the same way you do now after I lost Christopher. You never truly get over losing the love of your life but you won't always feel this way."

"Like a piece of my soul has been ripped from my body and shredded to bits then stomped on? It's been my constant company since Finn…" she couldn't say the word, "…it never seems to fade. People come here all the time to see me and Evelyn but I still feel so alone, so far away from everyone. That feeling is the only thing that seems to stay with me."

Carole looked down at Evelyn who was staring at them. "Rachel. I miss my son too. I will always love him and miss him but you have to look at the good in your life too. You aren't alone and you will always have a piece of Finn with you. Look at her," Carole turned Rachel's face to look at Evelyn, "she is Finn's. She is the part of him that still exists and you can't let those bad feelings consume you otherwise you will miss out on her."

Rachel smiled at Evelyn and could see what Carole meant. Though she loved Evelyn with every piece of herself, sometimes she did have a hard time looking at her. She could see so much of Finn in her and was reminded of everything she had lost. But she couldn't think of her daughter that way. She had to look at her and remember what she had been blessed with. Rachel had been lucky enough to find a soulmate and bear his child. So many women had lost sons, brothers and husbands and would never have a piece of them left. Rachel had Evelyn.

Her own mother had tried to tell her the same thing but it had never fully registered until now. Perhaps it was the commonalities she and Carole shared. Losing the love of your life prematurely and having to raise a child alone from infancy. She could only hope she raised Evelyn on her own as well as Carole had raised Finn.

Without warning, Rachel threw her arms around Carole and hugged her. "Thank you."

Carole patted her shoulder with her free hand. "You are very welcome." Rachel released her and Carole turned to face her. "If you ever need anything, I am here to help. Goodness knows I could use something to occupy my time. My sister's home is dreadfully boring and it would be lovely to see Evelyn grow up."

Rachel wiped her eyes and nodded. "Of course. I would for you to be a part of Evelyn's life. The more people around who can tell her stories about how wonderful a man her father was the better." She gave her a weak smile before Evelyn began crying again. Rachel looked at the clock and could see it was time for her to be fed.

As she made her way upstairs to the nursery, Rachel could feel some of that dreadful feeling slipping away. She was still sad and angry and would always mourn the loss of Finn, but she finally understood that she hadn't lost all of him. He was still with her in her heart and in Evelyn. Sometimes it even felt like she could still feel him. Like the tether connecting them had never truly been severed. For a long time she held onto that hope that whatever kept them connected wasn't truly gone, but when the Army had sent that letter, the hope died. It had been the crushing blow that forced her to accept he wasn't coming home.

Rachel fell into a routine that seemed to blur the days together after that. She would wake, change and feed Evelyn, get ready for the day, feed herself, take Evelyn for a walk around town, come home to lunch, talk for a while with Santana or her mother or Carole if she stopped by, then waste away time until dinner then bathe Evelyn, put her to bed, then read until she fell asleep herself. She was beginning to get bored with the routine around Christmas and told her parents so the Sunday before Christmas.

"With Finn gone, I have to provide for myself now. Surely there is something I could do full time in your office?" Rachel asked her father at dinner one evening. "I know how to type and read shorthand as you taught me. I can be your secretary."

"Rachel, you have a baby at home to take care of. What about her?"

Rachel groaned. "I know I have a baby at home, Father. But with Santana around to help cook and clean, all my days consist of are watching Evelyn sleep. I'm not saying immediately, but sometime I am going to need a job."

"For what? You should be at home taking care of the house and the kids," her father protested.

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, Father, I am not a housewife anymore! I am no one's wife anymore. I have to provide for myself and Evelyn now. Finn isn't here to take care of us." Rachel hadn't meant to explode at her father, but he seemed to forget that Rachel was a widowed single mother and had no man to be a housewife to.

"You are still receiving Finn's pay and once he is declared dead, you'll get benefits. Plus, you could always remarry."

"Hiram!" Shelby scolded him for speaking so unfeelingly.

"What? It's a valid option. Mr. Ben Israel has offered numerous times and he doesn't even mind that you were previously married and have a baby."

Rachel's mouth fell open at her father's callous second option. "I would rather be eaten by a lion than marry Jacob Ben Israel. He is disgusting and crude and I will not be the wife to that nor will I allow him to raise my child. I do not plan on remarrying anyone. Finn was it for me."

"Rachel, you're being stubborn. There is no reason you should have to work…ever. It is not your job to take care of yourself and Evelyn. It is the husband's."

Rachel shook her head in disbelief. There was absolutely no reason she couldn't work for herself once Evelyn was old enough. What else was Rachel supposed to do with her time?

"I am sorry you feel that way, Father, but as I do not have a husband, nor do I plan on taking a new one, I cannot afford to think that way anymore." Rachel stood up from the dining room table and grabbed Evelyn from her bassinet. "If you will excuse me, I need to get home to put Evelyn to bed."

Rachel stormed her way back to her home a few blocks away, mumbling to herself about the audacity of her father. He needed to accept that this was Rachel's life now. Times were changing and she could not be a stay at home mother by herself.

After waking up three times during the night to take care of Evelyn, Rachel was in a foul mood the next day. When Santana arrived with the boys, she found Rachel in the kitchen rocking Evelyn and singing softly to her.

"Good morning, Rachel. You seem tired."

"I am, Santana. Evelyn woke me up three times last night and dealing with my parents is always tiring."

"I take it dinner went poorly last night?" Santana turned on the stove and put a kettle on to heat up.

"My father wants me to remarry and to Jacob Ben Israel no less. I would rather suffer the Spanish flu than suffer through a marriage to him. I don't need a man and the only one I want is Finn."

"There is nothing wrong with holding a job. Women do not need men to take care of them. Actually it seems like women take care of men. They wouldn't be able to function without us around to coddle them."

Rachel sighed and sat down at the table. "I just don't know what to do. Things were so much easier when Finn was coming home to me."

Santana glanced at her sympathetically. "At least you have your family to support you. All of mine are dead."

"I am so sorry, Santana. You always seem so strong and sure of yourself, sometimes I forget how rough life has been for you."

"I try not to focus on the negatives. I focus on taking care of Robert and George and providing for them. Plus, you have been a great help in making sure that happens." Just then there was a knock on the door. Both women turned their heads toward the front door and Santana stood to get it leaving Rachel alone. Then the tea kettle began to whistle. Rachel took it off the stove and turned off the burner.

At the front door, Santana was a little stunned and confused. "What kind of sick, depraved joke are you playing coming here and trying to pass yourself off as a dead man? I suggest you leave now before I call the police," Santana sneered at the man in uniform at the door.

"I'm not…I'm not playing a joke. I'm Finn Hudson, Rachel's husband. This is my house."

"Then why would you knock on the door? Finn Hudson is dead. We got a letter from the US Army stating so."

The man took his hat off and held it in front of him. "They sent a letter stating I was missing and presumed dead. They were wrong. Now would you please let me into my house, Santana?"

Santana narrowed her eyes at the man. "How do you know my name?"

"Because my wife wrote me all these letters talking about you." The man pulled out a wad of paper from his pocket.

"Santana, who is it?" Rachel called from behind her. She looked back at her holding Evelyn to her chest. The man pushed the door open further and Rachel gasped, bringing her hand up to her mouth, when she saw who it was.

The man just smiled at Rachel with tears in his eyes as Rachel stepped closer, beginning to cry herself. "Hello darling."

"Finn?" Rachel held onto Evelyn tighter, reminding herself not to drop her in her shock. He stepped further into the house and Rachel moved even closer. She was nervous as she put her hand out to touch him, fearing he was an apparition that would disappear any second, but as her hand reached his face, he remained solid under her touch and pressed his cheek into her palm. "You're real." She let out a choked sob and ran her hand down his neck and over his chest, feeling every piece she could. Then she really noticed his left arm in a sling. He had been wounded and the thought made her cry harder. "But you were dead. You're supposed to be dead."

"The Army was mistaken."

Without another word, Rachel fell against his chest, holding him tightly and crying, soaking his uniform with her tears. "I have no idea what is going on. You were gone but now you're here… I feel like I am going insane."

Finn chuckled and lifted her head by her chin. "You are not insane. I really am here. I swear." He leaned down and captured her lips with his, about to hold her tighter until he realized she was carrying a baby…their baby. "Is this her?" He hesitantly placed his hand on the baby's tiny back.

Rachel wiped away her tears and smiled. "Yes. I was right, Finn. We had a girl." Rachel lifted her and turned her around to face Finn who lit up upon seeing her face. Evelyn stared at him like she was judging him for being late. "Evelyn Carole Hudson, meet your daddy. Finn, meet Evelyn." Rachel placed her in his right arm and he held her against his chest, staring in awe at her face.

"Hello Evelyn. I'm your father and I am so sorry I haven't been home, but I'm here now and I'm not leaving again." Tears fell from his eyes as they both stared at each other, lost in the meeting.

"Who is that?" Robert asked from the stairs as George followed behind him.

Santana finally closed the door and went to grab her sons. "That's Mr. Hudson."

"I thought Mr. Hudson died like daddy?"

Finn looked over at the boy who looked between him and his mother. "The Army made a mistake. Can you please take your brother into the kitchen?" Robert nodded and dragged George after him at his mother's command. Santana turned back to Finn and Rachel who were staring at each other in awe and if she didn't know any better, lust. "Rachel," she caught Rachel's attention, barely, "I am sure that you and Finn have a lot to discuss and reacquainting to get to. If you would like, I can watch Evelyn for the day. It's nearly time for your daily walk."

This seemed to break Rachel of Finn's trance on her and she looked at her baby in Finn's arms. She had fallen asleep against his chest and seemed so peaceful there. Though Rachel enjoyed her midmorning walks with Evelyn, it had been far too long since she had been with her husband and now that he had returned from the dead, she needed to get to the bottom of how it happened.

"Thank you, Santana." Rachel gave her a thankful smile and Santana took the baby from Finn's arms. "Come, Finn. We have much to discuss." She grabbed his hand which seemed rougher than before but sent a chill through her body at the contact as she led him upstairs.

Once in their bedroom where they could talk privately, all conversation ceased completely. Finn pressed Rachel back against the door and attacked her lips with rough, insistent kisses that Rachel had never received from him before. He moaned into her mouth as Rachel began undoing the buttons on his jacket while he nearly ripped the shirt Rachel wore right off her body.

Soon, Rachel's legs were wrapped around Finn's waist as he pounded into her in a passionate heat six months in the making. It wasn't slow and loving but it was perfect in its roughness and hurry. Rachel's lips swelled as Finn kissed and tugged on them with his teeth before his mouth moved to her neck where he sucked and bit, leaving bruises on her flesh as a reminder of his being there.

Rachel had been unable to remove his shirt with his sling on, but his pants and underwear fell around his ankles as he held Rachel's body up with his good arm and slammed her against the door repeatedly, making it shake under the pressure. Shortly after they started, both were falling apart. It had been so long since either had been satisfied sexually and it came in a giant wave before leaving them both breathless and only wanting more.

"Finn, what happened? Why were you missing? Why is your arm in a sling? Why didn't you write me the first chance you got? I've thought you dead for months. I wanted to believe you were alive, that I could feel if you had really died, but the telegram and letter and everyone telling me I needed to accept you were gone… What happened, Finn?" Rachel asked in a quick succession as Finn pulled his pants back up and they walked to their bed.

She sat patiently as he began to explain.

"We had just begun a new offensive in the Argonne Forest to try to take back some town from the Germans when I saved Puckerman from getting shot. We started moving forward again when a bomb went off not too far from me on my left. It blew me off my feet back into Puckerman. I'm actually deaf in my left ear now because of it," Rachel gasped at this piece of information as tears welled in her eyes and she gripped his hand tighter, "it's alright, Rachel. I'm still alive." Finn smiled at her to reassure her and she nodded before pulling his face closer to kiss him. "So, I was knocked into Puckerman and I realized his side was bleeding. He got a piece of shrapnel in there that tore him up and had been knocked out. I picked him up to find a medic to get him too so he wouldn't die out there when I caught a bullet in my shoulder." He pointed at his left arm and pulled his shirt down to show Rachel the wound. She choked again.

"Does it hurt terribly? Will you be able to use your arm? Finn, this is horrible!"

"It isn't as bad as it could be. At least I'm alive and home now. The doctor says I'll be able to use my arm still since it was just a flesh wound basically but I will probably have some stiffness there for the rest of my life."

Rachel nodded before hugging him gently. "I'm so thankful that you are alive. I have missed you so much, Finn."

He gently caressed her back and kissed her cheek. "You have no idea how much I have missed you. You were all that kept me going after I got captured." Finn still couldn't believe all he had been through. The entire time he had been in Europe, Rachel and their child really had been the motivation behind his fighting. He needed to survive by any means necessary to get back to them. No matter how bad things got on the battlefield or in prison, Rachel had been the thing that saved him and made him push on.

Rachel pulled back and stared at him stunned. "You were captured?"

"Yes. After I got shot, I passed out for a few hours and when I came to, the fighting had moved on. The only people left around me were corpses and Puckerman. He was awake but his side hurt too much to walk on his own. My shoulder was a wreck but we managed to help each other up and we walked in the direction we thought our guys were in." Rachel was hanging on his every word. "We were going the wrong way but we managed to find a smaller regiment that had been stuck behind us due to their trucks. They had a medic luckily and he cleaned us up the best he could. We were going to stay with them for a while until we could get in contact with our group but some Germans ambushed us and the regiment surrendered since they were outnumbered. Since our captain didn't know where we were, Puckerman and I were missing in action and they assumed we were dead. That's what I was told anyway once we were released from the prisoner of war camp we were shipped to in Germany."

"That must have been a horrible ordeal to endure. So you were in a prison camp this entire time?"

Finn nodded solemnly. "It beat lying in the mud dead, but it was awful in there. I spent most of the time in the hospital because of my shoulder. That wasn't too bad, but they treated us like animals outside of there. Plus, I had no idea what they were talking about most of the time since I don't speak German. That's where I was, except for the past three weeks. Once I made it back to where I was stationed, I was debriefed and sent to the hospital to have my shoulder checked. They really wanted me to stay until I was healed more but I wanted to go home when I was allowed. So I caught a ship from Calais and have been making my way home since. I would have sent a letter but it would have taken just about as long as me to get here. I am so sorry I put you through all that worry. It must have been torture for you thinking I was dead."

"It was. I was a wreck and rather insufferable if you ask my parents. Having Evelyn though…she helped me through." Rachel smiled even brighter and crawled into Finn's lap. "I love you so much. I am so happy you're home and in my arms again." She kissed Finn solidly on the mouth and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Finn winced a little from his tender shoulder and maneuvered to take his sling off. Rachel pushed his uniform jacket off before tugging on his undershirt while Finn untied her corset. They shimmied out of their remaining clothing and fell back onto the bed together.

They gazed into each other's eyes as Rachel shifted to get on top of her husband to make love to him. Now was the time for slow and emotional re-acquaintance. "Enough talk about war and death. I'm finally home and just want to make love to you now." Finn brushed Rachel's hair out of her face and rubbed his thumb back and forth over her cheek before pulling her down for a heated kiss.

A few hours later, Rachel and Finn finally reemerged from their bedroom, emotionally and physically drained from their reunion to find Santana, the boys, Carole and the Berrys in the living room. When she laid eyes on her son, Carole immediately burst into hysterical tears and shot off the sofa to embrace her son in the most strangling hug he had ever received. Carole almost refused to let go as Hiram and Shelby came up behind her.

"Good to see you home, son. Rachel was about ready to get a job to support herself, but now you're back…"

"Daddy!" Rachel chastised, placing her fists on her hips. "Ignore him, Finn."

He put his hand out to shake Finn's and gave him a nod of approval while Shelby just hugged him quietly. Then Santana stood up holding Evelyn. She handed her to Finn who glowed like a proud papa as he stared at her.

"I think this occasion should be marked by a feast! Yes, Santana, Shelby, would you be so kind as to join me in the kitchen?" Carole crowed, clapping her hands together excitedly before pulling the other two women into the kitchen behind her.

Rachel took Evelyn from Finn and he took Rachel in his good arm, kissing the top of her head.

"So Finn, I bet you're quite happy to be home," Hiram stated to break the awkward tension between them.

Finn looked down at his wife and daughter thinking nothing had ever been more perfect. "Beyond happy, sir." He leaned down and kissed his wife deeply, never planning on leaving her side ever again.

* * *

Interesting fact: In 1917 after the US entered WWI, the War Industries Board asked women to stop buying corsets so the metal in them could be used for war production. This freed up 28,000 tons of metal which was enough to build two battleships. Also, there were special corsets designed for pregnant women.


	3. 1927

And I'm back! This was a doozy of a chapter to write. I restarted writing it five times until I finally landed on something I was pleased with. I hope everyone else will be as pleased with it too. And for anyone wondering about Puck's fate in the last chapter...he survived the war and married Quinn. And without further ado...

* * *

As he paced near the revolving doors, waiting for the one person he needed to see to ease his overly jostled nerves, he found his thoughts drifting back to everything that happened in the past two months. It had been a whirlwind of smoke, booze, jazz, power and love and it all had led him to that moment alone, waiting for his star to guide him.

_Two Months Earlier_

He had been working at Berry's for approximately an hour when the brunette bombshell walked out on stage like a sultry temptress. She glittered gold in her short, form fitting flapper dress, her arms clad in long black gloves and her legs in stockings as she stepped up to the microphone. Her dark hair was in a waving bob with a gold band wrapping around her head, shiny gold earrings dangling from under her hair. The band began to play and that was when she really came alive.

All Finn's focus on his task of tending bar flew out his mind as he listened and watched the siren on stage, enchanted by her completely. He spilled whiskey all over the bar having overfilled the glass in his hand and earned a whack to the back of the head from Sam and a scolding about not wasting the liquor. He handed the glass off to the man waiting for it and absentmindedly began wiping down the bar as he kept his eyes on the girl on stage.

"Hudson! What are you doing? There are people waiting for their drinks!" Sam scolded him when he turned back from mixing a mojito for a female patron.

Finn blinked a few times to get the stars out of his eyes and went back to helping the man in front of him. Between every customer however, Finn took a moment to look back at the stage at the woman until she was finishing up her last song of the night.

_ Each night and day, night and day, I pray, I pray the Lord up above  
__To please, please, send me down some sweet somebody to love  
_

_Because no, no, no, no nobody wants me  
__I'm, I'm blue somehow  
__Won't someone hear my plea, come take a little chance with me?  
__Because I'm no, no, no nobody's baby now_

_She could be my baby_ he thought to himself before a dapper young man with dark, wavy hair and ice blue eyes sat himself down at the bar directly in front of Finn while the house erupted into applause. The woman curtsied and blew a kiss to her adoring fans before walking out of the spotlight and off the stage.

"She's amazing," he stated as he looked from Rachel back to Finn.

Finn nodded in agreement. "I've never heard anyone sing like her."

"Well, you should feel lucky to have heard her. Someday she's going to be a star and won't be performing in dumpy underground clubs like this one." He glanced around the ornately decorated jazz club distastefully before turning back to Finn. "I'd like a whisky neat please."

As Finn poured the drink, he lifted his head just in time to see the golden lady walking toward the bar with a beaming smile on her face. When she arrived, the man opened his arms to take her in a hug. "You were spectacular as always, Rachel."

"Thank you, Jesse." She pulled away and turned toward Finn, mouth open to speak before she really looked at him. As their eyes connected, Finn had a flash of his whole life right before him with this woman, dating, marriage, kids, growing old together, the whole nine. His heart pounded in his ears making him miss what she said.

"I'm sorry. Wh-what was that?" he asked, clearing his throat and trying not to seem like a dunce.

"I'd like some water, please. I'm rather parched from my performance."

The corner of Finn's mouth turned up in a little smile and he went about busying himself with finding her a glass. "Of course. You were really great up there," he complimented when he handed her a glass filled with her water.

"Thank you. It's always nice to hear. I'm Rachel, by the way, Rachel Berry," she placed her hand out for Finn to shake.

Instead of shaking her hand, Finn took hers in his and kissed the back of it. He thought he was rather smooth and classy and could tell he had upset the wavy haired gentleman next to Rachel, known as Jesse, with his action. "Finn Hudson, miss."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Hudson," she replied as their hands fell away to their respective sides of the bar.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Berry." That's when it hit him. Berry. She must have been the owner's daughter. Their eyes met again and locked, blush growing on both of their cheeks until Jesse stood up and ruined the moment.

"We should really be meeting your father to discuss business. He's expecting us." Rachel turned her head toward Jesse and her smile fell.

"Yes, right, of course." She composed herself and let Jesse lead the way, turning back to Finn. "It was nice meeting you, Finn. I'll see you around."

And that she did.

After that first meeting, Finn spent all his time thinking of ways to get closer to Rachel. Though she was the boss' daughter, he didn't plan on staying there as a bartender forever. It was only until he had enough money to start building his own life.

The only problem was getting moments alone with her. Everyone wanted a slice of Rachel's time and none more so than Jesse. He was like a leech that refused to go away and no one really liked him. The rest of the staff thought he was pompous, self-centered, controlling, power hungry and mean-spirited and as Finn grew to know him better, he was inclined to agree.

One night in October however, Finn finally got his in with Rachel. Finn was in the middle of a break, sitting alone at a table on the edge of the dance floor when a shadow fell over him on his right.

"You look bored. Care for a dance?" Rachel asked him as she put her hand out for him to take.

He shook his head no furiously and put his hands up in defense. "No, no, I don't dance. Trust me, it's better for everyone."

She jut her hip to the side and put her hands on her waist. "You can't be that bad. It's not even a fast song. Please, Finn? I want to dance but everyone is paired off already."

"What about Jesse? Won't he be mad?" he asked a little bitterly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I don't see why Jesse should care. Besides, he isn't even here tonight since he's on a rum-run with his father to Canada. He'll be gone for the next two days."

Finn's interest piqued and he tilted his head back to look at her. "I would think Jesse would care since you're dating."

Rachel snorted and scrunched her nose. "Jesse and I are _not_ dating. We tried it once but it didn't take. He talked about himself more than I do about me and critiqued everyone we met. He's my friend, but that's it, I assure you."

Now he was genuinely surprised. The way Jesse carried himself and spoke about him and Rachel, anyone would have assumed they were together and Rachel never seemed to dispute this fact. "Really? You two always seemed like you were dating."

Rachel sat down at the table finally and put her chin in her hand. "Jesse has it in his head that I'm going to come around and realize I love him then we'll one day get married and ride off into the sunset together like some romance novel. I simply don't feel that way about him. I love him, but like a brother only. I've never really been in love with anyone."

"Me either…well, I thought I was once. It's part of the reason I came to Chicago."

"Ooh," Rachel sat up straighter and clapped her hands together softly, "story time. Do tell, Mr. Hudson. I would love to know more about the mysterious bartender."

Finn chuckled at her enthusiasm. "It's not exactly a happy story." He sighed and took a sip from his Coca-Cola. "There was this girl Quinn back in my hometown, Lima, Ohio…she was beautiful and smart and seemed perfect and she had picked me out of all the guys in our town. Things were great for a while, your typical relationship, but then she started becoming distant. She didn't want to see me as often, when we were together she hardly spoke. Then my mother remarried this man who owned a mechanic shop and it got me thinking that maybe if we got married things would get better. It was a stupid idea." He looked up from his drink and Rachel was watching him intently with wide waiting eyes. "Anyway, I got her a ring, set up a perfect date, and asked her to marry me. Her answer was that she was leaving me. She had planned on telling me for weeks but couldn't figure out how. She met this man Joe and they fell in love. She broke my heart. I didn't want to have to watch her be happy with another man, so I left to start over elsewhere. Chicago seemed like as a good a place as any."

Rachel's hand closed over his and she squeezed it tightly. "I'm so sorry, Finn. That must have been horrible for you."

He shrugged and rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. "It's not all bad." He smiled at her. "I moved in with Puck who I hadn't seen since he quit school and ran away, I met Kurt and he helped me get the job here. I got to meet you and hear you sing." Their eyes met again and he noticed Rachel's pupils dilate. "That in itself is worth it all."

She moved closer. "Are you sure you aren't up for a dance?"

"Let's go," he replied, standing and leading Rachel to the floor. He looked toward Mercedes singing on stage, one of the friends he had made since starting work at Berry's, and he could swear she winked at him.

They stopped amongst the small group of people dancing and Rachel put one hand on his shoulder and the other out for him to take. He took her hand in his and placed his other on her waist, pulling her closer.

"I really am a horrible dancer. Don't say I didn't warn you," he asserted, beginning to sway to the song.

"Just try not to step on my toes and you'll be fine." She winced a moment later when he did exactly that. She leveled him with a stare and looked down to watch his feet. Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her head against Finn's chest as she began to hum along, losing herself in 'It Had to Be You'. "I love this song and Mercedes is always so full of soul when she sings. You can tell that she really loves it."

"She is really great. I was a little surprised she works here."

Rachel opened her eyes and stared up at him with questions in them. "Why is that?"

"Not many would give her a chance. So many people are still reluctant to give people of color a shot simply because of their skin. They aren't as open-minded as your dad."

"He has good reason to be. My father has always been adamant that Berry's would not discriminate based on race, gender, religion, sexuality…anything. If someone was in need, he would open his door to help them. That's how we got a lot of our employees. Mercedes had been rejected everywhere else due to her skin color, Sam was hired when his father was injured and couldn't work anymore, Kurt had been tormented and nearly killed for being the only openly homosexual person in his town and ran away, Blaine had been forced from his home for the same reason. Santana had been an abused woman of the night, Brittany's family shunned her when they discovered how promiscuous she is, and there are a slew of others who don't fit the mold that needed somewhere they could go to fit in, to be safe. We're all different, and that's what makes this place special."

"It's like its own little world here."

"That's why I like spending so much time here. It's better than what can be found outside." They fell silent for a few moments as the song changed. The tempo picked up and most of the couples began doing the Charleston, but Finn and Rachel continued the slow pace, just swaying back and forth. "This is nice."

"Dancing?"

She tilted her head back and stared up at him. "Dancing with you. I feel really comfortable in your arms. Like I'm safe and…" she trailed off, shaking her head and pressing her cheek against his chest once more.

"And what?" She couldn't just leave it there.

"It's silly."

"I'm sure it isn't."

Rachel sighed and pulled her hand from his to wrap her arms around his neck. "Loved. I feel loved. I've known you for less than a month weeks. It makes no sense, but I get this warm feeling when I'm near you and when we're apart all I can do is think about you."

Finn's lips stretched into a smile and he wondered if Rachel could hear his heart hammering away in his chest. She had feelings for him too and it made him happier than ever to hear her say it.

"I feel the same way," he confessed. "From the first moment I heard you sing…it touched something in me…right," he put his hand on the right side of his chest, "here."

Rachel pulled away slightly and chuckled. "Your heart's on the other side of your chest." She moved his hand to the left side before he pulled it away and held Rachel's face.

"It's beating really hard." Her eyes were wide as she stared back at him. "You're amazing, Rachel." Without another word, Finn's eyes fell to Rachel's plump, pink lips as his head moved closer to hers until their lips met.

It was like time stopped as they kissed on the dance floor and nothing and no one mattered at all. He could have lived in that moment forever, enjoying the feel of her lips moving against his, her body pressing against his while her hands slipped into his hair. She was pure unadulterated bliss in a shapely womanly form and at that moment, she was his. But then Finn could feel a familiar stirring in his pants and knew it wouldn't be long before Rachel could feel it too and everyone else could see it. His eyes shot open as he could feel the blood rushing south faster and before he could have an accident, he yanked himself away.

"I'm, I'm sorry, Rachel. I need to go. M-my break is over." He stepped away, doing his best to hide his growing problem, leaving Rachel on the dance floor wondering what was going on. He ran behind the bar and into the cellar where the booze was stored to cool off and collect himself.

As Finn and Rachel swayed on the dance floor and finally kissed, both had failed to notice that a familiar face had returned to the club. Jesse stood at the top of the stairs leading down from the restaurant above struck stunned as he watched Rachel smiling at that moronic Neanderthal. What could he possibly have said to earn such a brilliant smile from Rachel? Then to his further horror that oafish brute leaned down and kissed his Rachel.

Jesse was furious as he watched them kissing deeply on the dance floor. Did they have any decorum? There were people around, not to mention Rachel was his girl. He stormed down the stairs and walked through the tables lining the dance floor until he was stopped by Hiram on his way to his usual booth in the back.

"Jesse, what are you doing here? I thought you were on your way to Canada?"

"Plans changed. Excuse me, Hiram. I have to talk to Rachel." He breezed past the man and out to the dance floor to find that Finn was gone and Rachel was walking toward the stage. "Rachel," he yelled at her.

She turned and saw him pushing through the crowd but didn't stop to talk to him. When he caught up to her however, he put his hand on her shoulder and moved around her to face her. "What do you want Jesse? What are you even doing here? I thought you were going to Canada?"

"What are you doing?" he growled at her. "Why are you kissing Finn Hudson? You're with me."

Rachel's eyebrows pulled together. "No, I'm not. We are not together, Jesse. How many times do I need to tell you that? It's none of your business who I decide to kiss. And again, it's none of your business, but I don't see Finn and I kissing again anytime soon. He ran away. Obviously he doesn't like me as much as he said he did. I'm such a fool, falling for it again." Her eyes welled with tears that she forced herself not to shed.

"When are you going to realize that _I_ like you as much as I say I do? I love you, Rachel." He leaned forward and kissed Rachel only to be pushed away just as abruptly.

"Get off me, Jesse!" She slapped him across the face before throwing his hand off her.  
"When will you realize that I don't feel the same way about you? You're my friend and that's all you will ever be to me. I'm sorry. Now please, just leave me alone." She stormed away, tears falling freely now as she threw back the curtain at the end of the stage and escaped back to the dressing rooms.

Once certain he was relaxed enough to explain himself to Rachel, Finn ascended from the cellar.

"Finn, where have you been? I need you to take over for me. I'm leaving," Sam stated as Finn closed the door in the floor.

"Can you maybe stay just an extra few minutes? I really need to find-"

"Finn, Mercedes' set is nearly over and she'll be waiting for me. I have to go."

"Please, just ten minutes and I'll owe you," he pleaded.

Sam sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Ten minutes, then I'm out of here and you better be back."

"Thank you." Finn pat him on the back and ran back out to find Rachel. He searched the club over but no matter who he asked, no one had seen her and she was nowhere around. Until he spun around and was socked right in the face. "Fucking…Jesus, what the hell?" He stared through his tears at the shorter man in front of him. He recognized the hair and knew it was Jesse. "What the hell, man?"

"If you ever even look at Rachel again, I will end you. Do not fuck with my woman." For good measure, Jesse shoved Finn before turning away and walking back through the crowd which had stopped dancing and started rubbernecking. They all stared at Finn until a shorter, lithe man came pushing through yelling for people to move.

"Finn, here, put this on your face," Kurt told him as he slapped a towel with ice on the center of his face and walked him off the floor and back toward the office. When they arrived, Kurt yelled out the door, "Go back to dancing, you animals!" before slamming it and leaning back on the desk. "Want to tell me what's going on? Why is Jesse punching you in the face and threatening you?"

"I may have kissed, Rachel."

"Oye," Kurt smacked his forehead, "no wonder he was shaking in rage. Do you have a death wish? No one messes with Rachel."

"They aren't even dating!" he cried, wincing when he knocked the ice into his nose. "Rachel said she doesn't like Jesse that way and that he was supposed to be in Canada with his dad."

"Clearly he is not. And even if Rachel doesn't like Jesse and she doesn't believe they're in a relationship, Jesse does not believe the same. Jesse has been in love with Rachel since her father opened this place three years ago. Rachel hasn't been with anyone since she met Jesse because they all mysteriously disappear when Jesse finds out about them. His father is in the mafia, Finn. He can take care of anyone, if you get what I mean?"

"So because Jesse can't tell reality from his own crazy world where Rachel is his girl, Rachel has to suffer? She can't be with anyone she actually wants to be with? That's ridiculous!"

"Finn, I suggest if you don't want to be tossed into the river with a pair of cement shoes, you stay away from Rachel. Jesse is ruthless and he will show you no mercy."

"I'm not afraid of Jesse. I like Rachel and if she likes me too I'm going to be with her." Finn stood up and moved to the door. "Thanks for the ice. I need to get back to the bar."

After their kiss, Finn didn't see Rachel again for two days. She skipped out on her usual set, giving it to Mercedes instead, and even when Finn tried to call her, the phone just rang and rang. He knew he had messed up when he left her on that dance floor but he had been embarrassed by his stupid body's reaction to her. He needed to explain himself but Rachel wouldn't let him.

Finally on the third day since their kiss, Rachel returned to work. Unfortunately, Jesse's arm was wrapped around her shoulders as they walked from backstage toward Mr. Berry's booth at the back of the club. He kept his eyes on her from the moment he spotted her, hoping she would sense him trying to reach her and possibly come over to the bar. When she glanced his way however, she simply sighed and turned to look back at Jesse.

There had to be some way to get Rachel alone.

Finn glanced at the clock on the wall and saw that it was only eight. Rachel was due to take the stage in an hour. He knew that she would show up to her dressing room to warm up and was adamant that no one disturb her while she did. Her dressing room would be completely empty and she wouldn't allow anyone in; not even Jesse, which meant he would need to sneak in before she arrived.

He watched the clock closely waiting until twenty minutes to before telling Sam he was going on break. Finn made his way through the tables lining the dance floor to get to the backstage entrance. He had only been back there once when Kurt showed him around to point out all the secret exits in case he ever needed to make a quick escape. The club had never been raided before but there was first time for everything.

Backstage, there was a long hallway spanning the length of the stage with doors branching off of it. They were all marked with the talent's names. Santana, Mercedes, Blaine, Kurt, and finally with a gold star emblazoned on the door, Rachel. He reached for the knob but found it locked when he tried to turn it. For the first time, Finn found a use for the lock jimmying that Puck had taught him back when they were kids. He would have to thank him later.

Once he had the lock picked and entered the dark room, he pulled out his matches and lit one to see his way around. There was a davenport along the wall to the right and he made his way toward it to take a seat and wait for Rachel to arrive. It seemed an eternity that he sat on that couch. He went over and over his speech explaining himself and hoped that Rachel would be in a forgiving mood.

As he bounced his knee and wrung his hands, a clicking noise caught his attention and he sat bolt upright as the door swung open. The light flicked on and Rachel strolled into the room, rubbing her forehead. She stopped in her tracks and resisted screaming when she finally noticed him sitting there waiting for her.

"My God, Finn, you scared me half to death. What are you doing in here? How did you even get in? I always lock my door."

"I just wanted to talk to you…apologize for running off on you."

Rachel shook her head and moved toward her mirror. "There's no need. It was a mistake and one we will not be making again."

"What?" Finn's eyebrows pulled together and he stood from the couch moving closer to Rachel.

She looked at him in the mirror as he walked up behind her. "I don't enjoy being lied to, Finn."

"I'm not…I'm not lying to you, Rachel. I really care about you."

Rachel spun around quickly and faced him head on. "Then why would you say you have feelings for me one moment, then the very next you run off and disappear? It sends quite a conflicting message."

"That's what I'm here to explain."

She crossed her arms over her chest and set her jaw, her lips pursed. "Then explain."

"I was embarrassed."

Rachel's mouth fell open and she turned away, angrily beginning to search for her lipstick. "I'm sorry I'm so embarrassing to be around."

"No, no," he put his hand on her shoulder and turned her back around to look at him, "that isn't what I meant at all. When we kissed, I felt things for you…not just in here," he put his hand on his heart, "but down here too." His eyes fell lower and Rachel followed his gaze as well, her brow drawn in confusion until it hit her. Her mouth puckered into a little O of understanding and her eyebrows shot upward. Finn removed his hand from her shoulder and rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks coloring in further embarrassment. "I was nervous that you would feel it and it would make everything awkward since there were so many people around and I didn't want to draw that kind of attention to us. I'm sorry I ran away but I needed to calm down before I made a fool of myself."

"So you left me on the dance floor because you were aroused by me?"

He tugged on his collar and shuffled on his feet. "Yes."

Her hard expression softened and the corner of her mouth pulled up. "You really like me?"

"I really do. I wasn't lying when I said I feel the same way about you that you do about me. I want to be with you."

Rachel nodded and stepped closer to him. "So if we kiss again, you won't leave this time? Not even if you have the same problem as before?"

"Only if you want me to." They moved even closer.

"I don't want you to." Rachel took his hands in hers and pushed up on her toes to mesh her mouth with Finn's in a hot kiss that left them both tingling all over. When they broke apart for air, Rachel paused to speak. "Please don't hurt me like that again."

"I won't. I promise," he breathed against her lips, holding her tightly, rubbing her back soothingly. She kissed him again.

"I should get ready for my show. We can talk more when I finish my set." She beamed up at him before pulling away and turning back to her mirror. "I'll meet you at the bar and persuade Sam to let you leave early. We can go somewhere private to talk."

Finn grinned and hugged her from behind, kissing her cheek and making her giggle. "Can't you send Blaine or Santana on instead so we can talk now? Or maybe _not_ talk now," he suggested a little wickedly.

Rachel turned in his arms to face him again. "I can't leave my public waiting, Finn. We'll have plenty of time after I sing. Don't you want to hear me sing?" She wrapped her arms around his torso and looked up at him questioningly.

"I love hearing you sing. But after kissing you, I'd like to explore that option more."

She chuckled and patted his chest playfully. "All in good time, Finn, all in good time. Now, I must prepare and I'm sure your break is well past over and Samuel is probably grumbling about handling the bar himself. You should get back out there." She gave him a tiny push in the direction of the door and he took the hint.

"Fine, I'll go, but when I get you alone…" He left the thought open ended, allowing her imagination to fill in the blank. Finn would never push Rachel into doing anything she didn't want to, but he couldn't help his body's reaction to her. They would take things at whatever pace she wanted to go at, but he hoped that eventually she would want to explore a more physical relationship. Rachel blushed as he walked away and he flashed her a smile as he exited the room.

Finn practically floated back to the bar wearing a silly grin on his face as he felt heat spread throughout his body. He had a date with Rachel for that night and nothing could bring him down from the cloud he was currently sitting on. It had been ages since he had felt this happy and well, quite frankly, in love. Sure, it was as early on in a relationship as one could get, but he knew it to be true.

"Why is it you always disappear whenever I need you? You're the only bartender I know who spends the shortest amount of time behind the bar as possible," Sam pointed out as he made his way behind the counter. He tied his apron around his waist again and ignored Sam as he helped out a man who already seemed a few sheets to the wind. "Seriously, where did you go?"

"The bathroom."

Sam raised his eyebrow skeptically. "You went to the bathroom for twenty minutes?"

"Stomach problems."

"I don't want to know." Sam dropped the subject and went back cleaning glasses.

Minutes later, Rachel was on stage singing her heart out in one of her best dresses. It was silver and sparkled in the light as the lines crisscrossed over her front, the neckline plunging between her breasts to reveal the creamy skin between them. It was longer than usual with a handkerchief hemline. It draped over her body, the waistline sitting low on her hips while the back was wide open. Her arms were bare and her hair waved as usual with a large silver flower and a gray feather covering the left side of her head. She played to the crowd while her eyes kept finding their way over to Finn at the bar. Every time their eyes met, she smiled wider and discreetly waved at him making his cheeks go red and his pulse quicken. As always, she was stunning and flawless while she sang the latest hits from the radio.

Honestly, Finn didn't understand why Rachel was still in Chicago singing in her father's underground club instead of on Broadway in New York, performing to a sold-out crowd or on NBC radio entertaining the country from coast to coast. She needed better and he wanted to see her succeed.

For once the bar was empty as Rachel took a moment to speak to the crowd. "You have been a lively crowd as always and I have loved every second of performing for you tonight, but sadly, my time on stage is coming to an end. Before I go, however, I have one song left." She eyed Finn, a hidden smile on her lips meant just for him.

The jazzy music started playing and Rachel tapped her hand against her thigh as she kept count with the beat. She swayed her hips and held the microphone as she took in a deep breath and began to sing.

_Your eyes so blue  
__Your kisses too  
__I never knew what they could do  
__I can't believe you're in love with me_

_ You're telling everyone I know  
__I'm on your mind each place you go  
__They can't believe you're in love with me_

_ I have always placed you far above me  
__I just can't imagine that you love me  
__And after all is said and done  
__To think that I'm the lucky one  
__I can't believe you're in love with me_

As the music faded out, the crowd began to clap and cheer, whistles could be heard throughout, and Finn stood at the bar hollering the loudest for Rachel as she curtsied and blew her signature kiss. Seemingly without bothering to stop at her dressing room, Rachel ran out from backstage and toward him.

She was radiant when she reached the bar until a figure stepped between her and her goal. Finn frowned when he saw who it was.

"That was exceptional, Rachel. You were flawless." He folded her into an uncomfortable hug and Rachel mouthed 'sorry' to Finn as he watched on with a glum expression on his face. Then Jesse pressed his lips to her ear and whispered something to her that surprised her. Finn wondered what exactly he was saying.

"Um, it was just a song Jesse. There was no hidden meaning behind it," she said uncertainly in response when they separated. Jesse looked befuddled.

"But I thought…"

"Jesse, I told, I love you, but I'm not in love with you. You're like my brother and that's all you will ever be. I'm sorry." She was genuinely apologetic as she squeezed his shoulder and stepped around him to sit on a barstool. "Can I get a water please, Finn?" she asked, a grin in her voice.

He filled her a glass and their hands brushed as he handed it over. "But what about the other night?"

"Jesse!" she squealed, cutting him off. Finn's mouth fell open. What had happened the other night? "Jesse, what happened the other night was nothing more than a friend seeking comfort from another friend."

"It's because of _him_, isn't it?" Jesse pointed at Finn and Rachel stood up to stand between them, as if protecting Finn. He didn't need her protection, he wasn't scared of Jesse, but he still appreciated it.

"It has nothing to do with Finn, Jesse. We've known each other for three years and went on one date which failed miserably. What since then has made you think I want more than friendship from you?"

He steamed as his fiery gaze went from Rachel to Finn and back to Rachel. He sneered at her menacingly before his face cooled and he wore a mask of indifference. Jesse turned to Finn and said, "Fine. You want Rachel? You can have the ungrateful bitch," he turned his fury back on Rachel, "and don't bother coming back to me crying when he inevitably breaks your heart. I'm done with you."

Finn's fist closed around the glass in his hand, shattering it and cutting up his palm, but not giving it a second thought as he fought not to leap over the counter and strangle Jesse with his designer bowtie.

"You can't talk about Rachel that way, you asshole," he yelled at Jesse's back when he walked away, forcing him to stop in his tracks. "Get back here and apologize to her, now!"

Jesse straightened up and continued walking, not giving either a backward glance as he ran up the stairs and left the club.

"He can't do this!" Finn threw his towel down and ripped off his apron, walking down the length of the bar to the door.

Rachel ran to the end of the counter to meet him and beseech him not to go after Jesse, "Finn! No! Don't do anything stupid! Jesse didn't mean that. He's just under a lot of stress."

"Stress? Rachel, after what he said to you he should be groveling on his knees, begging for your forgiveness!"

"Finn…please, just let it go," she implored. "Just stay here with me and forget about it. It's not important."

She was getting to him. There was no way he could go after Jesse and leave Rachel there again. The man needed to apologize for speaking to Rachel in such a way, but he didn't want to upset her anymore than she already was. He ran his hands up and down her arms soothingly, leaning down to give her a chaste kiss.

"It is important because you're important." Her big, sparkling brown eyes plead her case. "But I won't leave you." The corner of his mouth pulled up in a surrendering smirk.

"Thank you, Finn." She hugged him and kissed his cheek, a playful smile growing on her face. "Do you want to get out of here?"

Finn smirked at her and nodded. "Where do you wanna go?"

She opened her mouth to answer until a whistle sounded from the top of the stairwell breaking through the din of the music and crowd. Cops burst through the door and tromped down the stairs one after another.

The place turned into chaos, everyone yelling and screaming, scrambling to find an exit. Finn's heart thumped in his chest as he saw the cops spread out in all directions, beginning to arrest anyone they could get their hands on. Rachel shied into his body for protection and he held her close.

"Stay close," he yelled down to her as he opened the bar again and pulled her along until he got to the door in the floor to the cellar. He cracked it open and lowered Rachel down the stairs. He looked back and realized the cops were closing in. There was no way he could let them take Rachel. "Rachel…"

"Finn, come on! They're going to find this passage soon!" Rachel pulled on his pant leg trying to make him move.

"No they won't." He leaned down and gave her a longing kiss. "Run and stay safe."

"Finn, what are you…?" she panicked, her voice rising in pitch before being muffled as he closed the door.

"Run, Rachel!" he called through the floor. He stood up and on the door so she couldn't open it and he could feel her pounding away under his feet.

Finn didn't move as he waited for the cops to arrest him. When they did, he didn't struggle and he called no attention to the secret passage they were standing on. The pounding had stopped and the door blended in seamlessly with the rest of the hardwood. Only someone who knew it was there would be able to find it and open it. Sending up a silent prayer that Rachel would escape, Finn let the officers drag him upstairs and out to the numerous police cars on the street.

As the officer lead him to his car, Finn looked around to see who else had been arrested. He saw Will, the manager of the club, Kurt, Brittany, and a slew of other familiar faces, all terrified or angry at having been caught for their indulgence. Just before he was placed in the backseat of the car, he saw one face with a smug grin on it that he was sure had something to do with the raid on Berry's. Jesse stood on the edge of the shadows watching the bedlam unwind. Once he and two other men were squished in the backseat, the siren flicked on and they were carted off to the nearest precinct.

They sat in the cell for hours, the amount of those arrested shrinking as bail came in until only a few, including Finn, remained.

"This is all Jesse's fault. He called the police on us. I know he did." Finn paced the floor with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed as he contemplated all the ways to bring Jesse down. The man couldn't act this way just because Rachel didn't love him. If he really loved her, he would want her to be happy no matter what the cost. It's what Finn would do.

"I told you to stay away from Rachel, but you didn't listen. This is just the warning. If you don't leave her alone, it's only going to get worse," Kurt warned him.

"I can't stay away from Rachel. I love her and I promised her I would never leave her."

"You'll be breaking that promise if he kills you."

Finn turned around, a defiant glint in his eye. "I won't let that happen. I'm going to find some way to get Jesse to leave us alone."

"Hummel, Hudson, you made bail," a young officer called as he unlocked the cell and opened it.

"I made bail?" He didn't understand as Puck hadn't been around to answer his one phone call and no one else knew where he was.

"Did I stutter? Move it." He threw his thumb over his shoulder to motion for Finn to get a move on. He followed Kurt out of the cell and down the hall wondering what was going on before parting ways when Kurt found Blaine.

As he entered the lobby, what he found made him happier than ever. A short woman was reading a bulletin board on the other side of the room; she wore a pale pink cloche hat with a white ribbon around it and a bow on the side as well as a matching coat that fell to her knees, her silver dress peeking out from below. Finn walked up behind her.

"Anything interesting?"

Rachel jolted in shock before spinning around. "Not much. Capone is still on the Most Wanted list, they're looking for new recruits for the force. You know, you would look pretty good in an officer's uniform. Ever think of becoming a cop?"

Finn contemplated this idea before shooting it down. "Pretty sure that would be a conflict of interest as I'm currently dating the daughter of a speakeasy owner and I work for him." He showed her a toothy grin before smoothing his hand around her waist to her back and pulling her in for a kiss. Then he became serious. "How did you know where I was?"

"I just assumed they would bring everyone in to the nearest precinct. Turns out I was right." She shrugged and gasped when she saw Finn's hand. "Finn! What happened to your hand?" She lifted it and inspected the wrapping covered with little dots of blood.

"Oh, I cut up my hand a little when I shattered that glass. They cleaned it up and bandaged it for me to keep it from getting infected. Being in jail wasn't all bad."

"When we get back to my place I want to take a look at it."

"It's not a big deal. There were only two minor cuts."

"Still, I want to be sure your hand will be alright."

Needing to change the subject to stop her worry, Finn asked about bail. "How much was bail? I'll pay you back."

"No need. I called in a favor to get you and Kurt out. They wanted to keep you overnight and press trumped up charges against you, but like the big bosses, I have a few cops in this city of my own." She grinned mischievously.

"A favor? What cops do you have?"

"See that officer over there with the smarmy look on his face? He kind of looks like an elf?" She pointed to the man who had informed them they made bail. He nodded. "His name is Sebastian Smythe and he and Blaine used to sleep together. I told him that he would pull some strings to get you released and get all the charges dropped, conveniently losing your arrest record, or I'd let his wife and buddies know about his little affair."

"How do you know this?"

"He used to frequent the club before joining the force. That was how he and Blaine met. They were rather naughty and liked to take scandalous pictures together. I still have some."

"Is that why they didn't last?"

"No. Blaine wanted more of a commitment from him but he couldn't because he was married and conveniently forgot to mention it. Blaine broke up with him and Sebastian stopped coming by. Then Kurt started working for us and he and Blaine have been inseparable since and Sebastian became a cop."

"Interesting."

"It is." She ran her finger over the edge of his vest, peering up beneath her lashes with a sultry vibe. "Well, now that you're a free man, what do you say we do a little celebrating?"

"By celebrating…you mean…?"

"My place." She bit her lip, tempting him with the simple action. Rachel gripped his hand and began pulling him to the doors.

About twenty minutes later, Rachel was leading him into an unsuspecting building. He never would have assumed Rachel lived in a place so plain. Based on her father's tastes and the design of his Italian restaurant and the club, Finn would have assumed a much ritzier home.

"This place…"

Rachel cut him off, "I know. It doesn't seem like the kind of place my father would live in and that's because it isn't. It's one of his safe houses. He never uses it so I've taken it as my own getaway. We'll be safe here."

"No one knows about it?"

"Only my father knows and honestly, it has been such a long time since he's visited this place, I doubt he remembers where it even is. We will be perfectly fine."

They arrived at a door marked 6 on the third floor and Rachel pulled a key out of her handbag. The apartment was dark as they entered but Rachel switched on the light and Finn was assaulted by pink. "It's very…pink."

"Pink is my favorite color."

It wasn't very big but it was cozy and warm. A small couch and a lone chair were in the living room and beyond there were two doorways, one to a bedroom and the other to a bathroom. On the left was another door that opened to the kitchen, or so the decorative sign hanging there stated, and on the right was a fireplace in the center of the wall, a fire burning in the pit, windows facing out to the street on either side.

"It isn't much, but it suffices as a hideaway."

"It's perfect." He grinned at her and she ducked her head, tugging her buttons undone on her coat to remove it.

"Did you want anything to eat or drink? You were in the slammer for a while."

"I'm okay for now."

"Are you sure?" She stalked to the kitchen speaking a mile a minute. "I could make you a sandwich or some soup. I have some banana bread I baked the other day. It should still be good. Or some app-"

Finn shut her up with a sudden kiss. "Really, I'm okay," he reiterated when he pulled away.

"I'm sorry, I'm just…nervous."

"What about?"

"Well, I am, I am…rather in inexperienced when it comes to the more ph-physical aspect of relationships," she admitted.

Finn nodded in response, kissing her once more. "It's okay. We'll take it slow."

"That's why I'm so nervous. I don't want to take it slow. I want to be with you, Finn."

"I don't want to rush you or make you feel pressured."

"I don't feel rushed or pressured. I appreciate that you're willing to wait for me, but I want this. I want this more than anything…and I want it with you…now."

"Now? As in, right now?" Finn asked shocked.

"Yes, Finn." Her hand curled around the back of his neck, pulling him closer. "Now." Her lips crashed onto Finn's and she pushed him back through the kitchen door until they hit the edge of the couch, falling over it before rolling to the floor.

Finn landed on top of Rachel, coming down on her hard and knocking the wind out of her. "Jesus, Rachel, are you alright? I didn't mean-"

She held his face in her hands and pulled him down again kissing him with a ferocity he had never seen from her before. Her tiny, nimble hands ripped open his vest before pulling his shirt from his slacks. Following suit, she ripped open his shirt and pushed both layers off his shoulders before latching her mouth under his ear.

"Are you sure we aren't moving too fast?"

"I'm sure," she sucked on his neck again and his eyelids fluttered from the sensation. "You can touch me, you know." Her lips moved lower down his neck until it disappeared. She opened her eyes to find Finn sitting up and sliding his shirt off. He gathered the material of his undershirt and pulled it over his head. Rachel's eyes widened and grew darker as she licked her lips.

"Do you want to go to the bedroom? It'll be more comfortable than the floor." Concerned only with making this perfect, he needed to make sure the setting was what Rachel wanted.

"No. Let's stay out here. It's more romantic by the fireplace. I'll just get some pillows and blankets from the bedroom." She picked herself up from the floor and sauntered into her room, keeping her lusty haze on him until she closed the door completely.

Finn made himself busy with rearranging the furniture to make more space, turning the light off and stoking the fire, shucking his shoes, socks and pants, removing his bandage and washing his hands, waiting for Rachel to return. He sat on the couch in his boxers, bouncing his knee impatiently as the excitement and anticipation grew. It had been months since he had anything besides his right hand to relieve him and he was itching for something new.

He contemplated what it would be like to be with Rachel. Certainly intercourse with Rachel would be more than just mere sex. Surely it would be magical and special and so much greater than anything he had experienced in his life prior.

All of this came true the moment he heard the bedroom door creak open. His head snapped up to see Rachel tossing a pillow at him. It hit him square in the face making her giggle at his stunned expression.

"Thank goodness these pillows are soft."

"They're the softest money can buy." She tossed him a few more before stepping out of the room pulling two blankets along with her.

Finn had to force his jaw to keep from dropping comically as she came into view fully. All she wore was a peach lace and silk robe that hung on her body loosely. The neckline plunged low between her breasts and the arms of the robe were wide and billowy to match the hem. She had removed the feathered headband and her heavy stage make-up had been wiped clean. Her natural glowing beauty was shining through as the firelight danced on her skin.

"Do you need a handkerchief? You're drooling a little." She chuckled and he wiped his mouth before standing. Her eyes raked over his bare chest and she licked her lips again. "Will you help me set up these blankets?"

"S-sure." He grabbed the blankets from her outstretched hand and laid them out, setting up the pillows for comfort. "Just to be sure, you're absolutely, positively certain you want to do this…with me…right now?" he asked when he finished, coming to stand directly in front of her.

She smiled and untied her robe. Finn could see her swallow thickly as she gazed down at her shaking hands, pulling her robe open and allowing it to slide down her shoulders, exposing her nude, creamy flesh. Slowly, the silk slipped off her body completely. Rachel stood in only her bloomers and stockings, her breasts bare.

"You're so beautiful." Rachel blushed and wrapped her arms over her chest. "Don't." Finn reached out for her and took her hands. "Don't cover yourself, you're perfect."

She didn't say anything else as she pushed up on her toes and meshed her mouth with Finn's. He moaned wantonly as her fingers slid down his chest. Hesitantly, he placed his hands on Rachel's sides, sliding them down to the waist of her bloomers.

"You're sure?"

Rachel pushed away and sighed, irritated with the question. "If you ask me that one more time, I'm not sure I'll let you do this with me. Stop worrying so much."

Finn dropped his forehead to press against Rachel's. "It's just…you're a classy girl. I don't want to steal your virtue or anything."

"You're not stealing anything, I'm sharing this with you. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I do know that tonight, I want you."

"Okay. I'll stop asking questions."

"Thank you." Rachel interlaced her fingers with Finn's. "Now make love to me."

Rachel jumped into Finn's arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him hotly. She pried his mouth open with her tongue and teased his out. They managed to lie out on the blanket, Finn resting between her thighs, their chests pressed together. Rachel guided Finn's hand to the waist of her bloomers and he sat up. Finn unclasped the suspenders holding up her stockings. Slowly, grazing his fingers over her smooth legs as he pulled the tops of her stockings down, Finn removed them from her body, kissing her thighs and calves as he did so. Rachel nearly purred as her body shook from his closeness and a tent grew in Finn's boxers.

When the stockings were gone, Finn tugged her bloomers down her legs and soon Rachel was exposed completely. She glistened between her thighs and Finn swiped his tongue over his bottom lip, ready to bury himself inside her. Rachel sat up and pulled Finn closer by the waist of his boxers, taking a peek under the fabric.

Her cheeks flamed and she averted her gaze. "Oh my…"

Finn grew hot and instantly felt manlier. "Would you like to…?" He motioned downward.

She nodded softly and slid her fingers under the waist, pushing the fabric down, exposing his girth. Rachel took a deep breath, letting it out shakily and lying back down. Finn pulled his boxers away and pushed Rachel's thighs apart. He knelt between them and leaned down to give Rachel a kiss, trailing his lips to her throat. She wrapped her legs around his waist again, locking her ankles above his behind and her arms around his neck.

He reached between them and brushed the tip of his length along her wet slit before slipping his finger between her folds to part them. He teased her opening and slid his finger inside her, forcing her back to arch. She released a keening moan and tightened her legs around his body, her knees pressing just below his ribcage. He tickled her softly, rubbing his thumb over her thrumming nub, to build her up and make her heart race. Finn pushed his fingers deeper and moved them faster inside her, feeling the wetness pool and coat his hand. He brought her to the brink of which she fell over, screaming his name into his ear as she writhed under his body. Her heart raced and her body sweat as she began to come down.

Finn removed his hand as Rachel breathed heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly, as he kissed down her throat, over her clavicle, to her breast, wrapping his lips around her nipple and sucking on it. Rachel snaked her fingers into his hair and basked in her post-orgasmic haze. Before she could come down, Finn tugged away and captured Rachel's eye.

"Are you ready?" She bit her lip and nodded. Finn slipped his hand between their bodies, once more guiding his tip into Rachel's entrance. She squirmed as he slid in further, stretching her walls, feeling how hot and tight she was as she engulfed his length. He moaned loudly and pulled out, viewing her flesh encompassing his while he pushed back in.

Rachel threw her head back and her arms fell to the side to grip the blanket as Finn pumped in and out of her. She released tiny whines with each thrust in and squeezed her walls tighter around Finn. He groaned and sucked on her neck, searching for Rachel's hands and slipping his fingers between hers. He lifted her hands above her head and shifted to rest on his knees between her thighs. Finn lifted his torso to hover over Rachel and rolled his hips as she cried his name.

"Oh, Finn, oh fuck," her eyes shot open and she pulled her lips in when she realized her dirty slip. Finn chuckled and sat up straight, pulling Rachel with him. Her backside rested on his thighs and she bounced in his lap, taking him into her as deep as her tight body would allow. She whimpered and took fistfuls of his hair in her hands, pulling his head back and attaching her lips to his throat.

They molded together, their sweat intermixing, skin rubbing against skin, hands roving every bit of body they could find, and lips growing swollen from constant kisses. It was everything Finn thought it would be and more to make love with Rachel. He had never experienced a connection so profound with anyone in his life before. It wasn't just sex, it was like their souls were melting together to create one being, growing stronger with each thrust until finally he couldn't contain the flood any longer.

He shuddered as he spilled inside Rachel while she fell apart again with him inside her. It was the sweetest sensation in the world and he felt completely as one with her in that fleeting moment.

Finn dropped his forehead on Rachel's shoulder and she lazily dragged her fingers up and down his back as they came down from their mutual high. "I love you," Finn mumbled against her skin.

"You love me?"

He lifted his head and looked her in the eye. "I do. You don't need to say-"

"I love you too."

She had an ethereal glow around her as they relaxed into the pillows on the floor and covered their bodies with the top blanket. Finn pulled her close and she snuggled into his chest.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you weren't a virgin were you?" Finn asked.

"No." She nuzzled closer to his chest. "But I really don't have that much experience and I don't count my one and only time since I barely remember it."

"What happened…if you don't mind my asking?"

"I was barely 18 and my father had just opened Berry's. I had never been drunk in my life until the night I met Rory. He had just come here from Ireland and was working as a bartender for my father and I was quite taken with his accent. Rory had been amazed that I had never even tasted alcohol before and insisted he give me my first drink. After close, we snuck a bottle of Canadian whiskey to my dressing room and got a little too goofy on giggle juice. One thing led to another and I woke up the next morning naked on top of a passed out Irishman on my couch."

Finn stared at the dying embers of the fire, irrational jealousy crashing over him like a tidal wave. He squeezed her tighter, vowing never to let her go. "What happened to Rory?"

Rachel sighed, her warm breath washing over his chest. "When he woke up he was quite bashful and his accent became even harder to understand when he asked if I would want to go to dinner sometime. I accepted and we went out on dates a few times, but then he went back to Ireland. It was rather sudden. Something about his brother going missing. He never returned and I never saw him again. We were only together the one time and I barely remember it." She looked up at him and frowned. "You aren't jealous, are you? You seemed to have experience."

"There was this girl Sugar after Quinn. We were together a few times, until I left. She was rather obnoxious actually, but she dulled the ache a bit." The room went silent for a moment until Finn sat up quickly, startling Rachel. "Oh shit!"

"What? What's wrong?" Rachel asked frantically, sitting up and gripping his shoulder.

"We didn't use protection!"

Rachel chuckled. "Yes we did. I have a diaphragm, so if you'd like to go aga-" She could barely get the word out before Finn pinned down a laughing Rachel and readied himself for round two. "I could really get used to this."

"Me too." He kissed her passionately. "I love you, Rachel."

She brushed his cheek affectionately. "I love you too."

After the night of the raid and the consummation of their relationship, life went back to normal, or as normal as criminals lives could be. Finn still bartended and Rachel still sang, but something seemed off. The raid hadn't been a usual type of raid. The liquor hadn't been confiscated, the secret passages and compartments weren't rifled through, the club hadn't even shut down and Hiram hadn't been cited or fined or had any kind of legal action taken against him. It was as if the raid hadn't even happened. Finn had a feeling that Jesse had something to do with that.

Speaking of Jesse, he had grown scarce since that night only appearing when his father had business with Hiram, sparing only a death glare and white knuckles whenever he saw Finn or Rachel. Despite his utter silence, Finn had a feeling things weren't over between them and Jesse. In the pit of his stomach, he sensed that Jesse had a card up his sleeve he was waiting to play.

"Are you alright?" Rachel asked as Finn watched Jesse come down the stairs and walk through the curtain of the back booth behind his father.

He shot her a tense smile. "Dandy."

"You look stressed. Is there anything I can do to relieve some of it?" she asked playfully, leaning on the bar and licking her cotton candy sucker quite suggestively, her eyes dark with lust.

Finn swallowed as his eyes flitted around the joint. "Here?" he whispered.

She hopped up onto the counter and swung her legs over to jump down behind it. "Kurt?"

Kurt turned from flirting with Blaine. "Yes?"

"Finn's taking his break so you'll have to be on your toes."

His mouth fell open to protest, "But Finn just…"

"Kurt, you owe me." She stared him down poignantly.

"Fine." He waved them off and Rachel tossed her sucker in the trash and gripped Finn's hand, pulling him from behind the bar over toward the partitioned section of the club.

There were six private booths sectioned off by dark velvet curtains along the wall opposite the bar. Finn had never been in one before but had seen his fair share of high rollers waltz their way in there with some doll on their arm, coming out looking much happier than they did before. He always wondered what the spaces looked like.

When they arrived at the curtains, Rachel roughly pushed him through one, making sure they were completely enclosed before turning back to him. Inside the curtain it was quiet and dim as only two gas lamps lit up the circular room. A rounded bench lined the wall and a low round table was in the center. Rachel's eyes smoldered as she stalked up to him, pulling the shoulders of her short red dress off and letting the material pool at her ankles. She only wore a silky chemise underneath.

"I've been waiting to do this all night," she purred as she pushed Finn back onto the table, climbing on top of him. She tugged his vest open and pulled his shirt tails out of his pants, undoing them and shoving his slacks and boxers down his body, releasing his hardening girth. She began stroking him softly, "All I could think about was ripping your clothes off and sinking down onto your cock."

Finn went rigid in Rachel's hand and he couldn't wait anymore. Hearing Rachel say dirty words and talking about him in graphic terms set his blood on fire and rushed it south faster than a bullet. He slid his hands up her thighs and gripped her hips, shifting her on his body to force her down on his length. They both moaned low in their throats as they moved together. Rachel dug her nails into his abdomen and rolled her hips back and forth, building up the frenzy and growing hotter by the second. Finn gripped Rachel's hips roughly and slammed into her so hard it nearly hurt. She threw her head back and propped herself up with her hands on Finn's thighs, her body rocking against his, his cock grazing her spot making heat flame in her belly and radiate to the rest of her.

"You're so beautiful," he groaned out, his hand trailing over her hip to the space between her thighs. He thumbed her little pink nub and Rachel shook atop him, her mouth falling open and her eyes slamming closed. Her babble was incoherent as she rode him and Finn could feel her about to slip into ecstasy. It was erotic and sensual and all Finn could focus on was the building pressure readying to break the dam. Her body went rigid until she convulsed and writhed, her thighs quaking with the force, sinking her nails into his flesh so deep Finn was sure there would be blood. Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head, eyelids fluttering, as her jaw dropped. Rachel cried out his name, long – and he was sure – loud enough the entire club beyond the heavy black drapes could hear. It pealed from her lips like a psalm, filling him with joy and pride, swelling him with love and adoration as he spilled inside her, his own grunt sounding more like a dying moose than an angel singing.

His eyes fell closed and bright colors burst and swirled behind his eyelids as the intense pleasure washed over him and receded, leaving him content and sated. Rachel collapsed against his chest and he could feel her trying to catch her breath. "Fuck that was good," she added.

"If that was just good, what's great?"

Rachel rolled off Finn's body onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. "Okay, so maybe good is an understatement." She turned onto her side. "How loud was I this time?" she asked timidly.

"I wouldn't be surprised if the people upstairs could hear you."

She ducked her head under his arm shyly, gripping his shirt and trying not to be completely mortified. "I hope my father didn't hear that."

"Well, if your father kills me for taking more of your innocence at least then I won't have to worry about Jesse."

"Jesse's harmless. He won't do anything to you. He's honestly not as bad as everyone seems to think he is." Rachel snuggled closer.

"Why do you always defend him? He basically spit in your face and has treated you like dirt since," Finn asked, growing defensive. Even after everything, Rachel still trusted the guy.

"He's my friend. Maybe we're in a fight now, but I still care about him and I'm sure he will come around eventually. He just doesn't know you very well."

"Rachel, he doesn't just want to be your friend. He wants what we have. He's jealous and according to Kurt, dangerous."

Rachel sat up, skepticism in her eyes as fixed her gaze upon him. "Dangerous? Jesse wouldn't hurt a fly. Not everyone in the mafia is bad."

"Uh, yeah, they kind of are. That's why they're the mafia."

"Are you sure this isn't _you_ being jealous?"

Finn sat up and started redressing, giving her a stern glare. "I am not jealous of Jesse. What would I have to be jealous about? I'm just concerned for you."

"Concerned for me how? You think Jesse is going to hurt me? He is one of my closest friends and he would never hurt me."

"Then why have you been single ever since you met him?"

"What?" Rachel looked confused. "I don't understand what that has to do with Jesse."

"It has everything to do with Jesse." He got off the table and stood in front of her. "Look, I was talking with Kurt after Jesse punched me in the face and while we were in jail and he told me a few interesting things. Mainly that any man you've ever grown close with has mysteriously disappeared. Like Rory for example."

"Rory went back to Ireland because of his brother," Rachel asserted, getting off the table herself and grabbing her dress, suddenly not wanting to be so exposed.

"Then what about Artie? Kurt said he was found bludgeoned so bad that he was paralyzed from the waist down until he died under mysterious circumstances a few weeks later. Or Max who stood you up and came up missing in the newspaper, Eddie whose body was found floating in Lake Michigan, Robert who had a heart attack at the age of twenty. And after you found out about all these guys dying or disappearing, who did you turn to? Jesse. He's offing his competition so you'll come crawling back to him because he hopes that the next time will be the charm and you will finally love him. He's insane, Rachel!"

Rachel's eyebrows dipped together, whether in thought or anger, Finn wasn't sure. "Jesse wouldn't do that. He isn't like that."

"He isn't like that?" he bellowed incredulously. "Rachel, he punched me in the face and told me he would end me if I even looked at you again."

Rachel balled her fists and slammed them onto her hips. "Well, if you believe so strongly that Jesse is going to kill you, then why are you even bothering with me?"

"Because I love you. I'm not scared for myself, Rachel, I'm scared for you."

"Jesse would never hurt me."

"But he already has! Every time he got rid of a potential suitor, he ruined your chance at true happiness because he can't accept that you don't love him. Do you want him to keep doing that?" Finn took her hands in his. "I love you and I never want to see you hurt. If you keep Jesse in your life though, that's all you will ever have."

Rachel shook her head defiantly. "You're wrong about him, Finn. All those guys…they were coincidences and Jesse was just being a good friend when I needed one. There is no proof that Jesse had anything to do with their sad and untimely demise."

"That seems like an awful lot of dead men connected to one woman don't you think? It isn't just coincidence, Rachel. What is it going to take for you to realize that? My dead body?"

"Don't talk that way, Finn!" She ripped her hands from his and crossed her arms over her chest. "Whether you like it or not, Jesse is my friend and he will remain so. I love you and appreciate that you're looking out for me, but you need to accept this fact. Jesse will come around to us being together eventually and when he does you will see that your imagination is merely overreacting."

Finn grit his teeth and shook his head, trying to control his temper. "I really hope you wake up from this fantasy of yours where Jesse isn't a murderous creep before reality smacks you in the face."

"Finn!"

"I love you, Rachel, but you're delusional if you can't see that Jesse is not the kind and sweet man you think he is." He softened and kissed her forehead. "I need to get back to work. I love you."

Rachel didn't say anything as he stepped through the curtain and back into the din. He got a few nods in congratulations and some lascivious stares from a few ladies as he walked through the tables. When he made it to the bar, he was unfortunately greeted by Jesse nursing a gin and tonic.

"I see my two attempts to make you back off have failed, or rather heard. Rachel has never been a quiet person." He took a sip from his drink. "I don't think you're going to like the third strike."

"So you did call in the raid…"

"Of course I called in the raid," he spit at him. "You think the cops would still allow this place to run if it had been a real raid? They would have confiscated everything and gutted it."

"So they weren't even real cops?"

Jesse narrowed his eyes at him. "You are truly a moron. Of course they were real cops. They were real corrupt cops. I happen to have a close relationship with the boys in blue at the local precinct. They were doing me a favor."

"You had your friends raid this place just to arrest me?"

"Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner. But my plan was foiled. I forgot to take into account Rachel's ingenuity and it seems I underestimated your bond."

"People could have gotten hurt. _Rachel_ could have gotten hurt."

Jesse snorted. "Please, I would never have let that happen. The boys knew to let her escape. Honestly, the only reason anyone else was arrested was for authenticity. It would have looked quite suspicious if they had gone into a speakeasy and only come out having arrested one man."

Growing tired with his chatter, Finn cut to the chase. "Listen Jesse, whether you like it or not, Rachel and I are together. I'm not scared of you and if you do anything to me you're just going to hurt Rachel. Our lives and emotions are tied now, we're tethered, and if you do something to one of us, the other will feel it. If you really loved Rachel, you would want her to be happy no matter what."

"You only think that because you have her."

"I think that because it's true. If she told me to scram tomorrow because she wanted to spend the rest of her life with some other schmuck, I would because I love her enough to realize that what I want is irrelevant. She deserves happiness and you're not aiding her in her pursuit of it by killing everyone who has ever made her happy."

"I can make her happy!" Jesse growled as he leaned over the bar, gripping the edge hard as he got in Finn's face. "For three years I have been nothing but what she needs! I've nurtured her talent, her wounds, her heart. We're perfect for each other and she's going to realize it."

"But you aren't what she wants! Have you even taken her opinion into consideration? Or have you been too busy plotting how to keep her under your thumb to even notice?" Their noses were very close together as they had a stand-off over the counter.

"You will rue the day you ever tried to move in on my woman," he threatened lowly.

Finn wore a cocky smirk. "I didn't try. I succeeded. You heard it yourself." He readied himself for the punch he was certain would follow his snarky remark, but it was for naught. Instead of hitting him again, Jesse just growled and backed away. Finn watched him go and instantly knew he would pay for this conversation.

When Rachel finally reappeared just before close, she informed Finn that she would be going home with her father, effectively cutting him off for the night. Usually they would spend nights together at the safe house, making love until dawn before finally passing out entwined in each other wearing nothing save satisfied smiles, but it seemed he would have to go home to Puck which was much less desirable.

As he unlocked his door and entered his dark apartment, he felt a large object collide with his skull before the world faded deeper into blackness.

The next night, Rachel arrived with her father to the club, prepared to see Finn and make him work for her forgiveness. Jesse was not what Finn said he was, she had known him for three years, and while his constant pursuit of her heart was rather tedious, it did not mean he was a cold blooded killer. He had never given Rachel any reason to believe he was anything more than a perfect gentleman, albeit with a harsh temper.

When she made it down the stairs, she was slapped with a somber mood as the staff wandered around sullen and silent. Kurt was even crying when she passed by the bar. There was no reason for everyone to be in such a poor mood and she needed to get to the bottom of why.

"Kurt," he looked up, eyes and nose red as he pulled out his handkerchief, "what is going on? Why is everyone acting like someone died?"

Kurt gasped in disbelief. "Oh my…Rachel, you haven't heard?"

Now she was concerned. "Haven't heard what?"

"I would have thought you would be the first to know."

"Know what?"

He took a deep steadying breath and reached out to hold Rachel's hand. "Rachel, there was a fire last night…at Finn's. Santana lives in the same neighborhood and she went to investigate and overheard the firemen talking and…" Rachel's heart plummeted into her stomach. She didn't want to hear anymore, but Kurt kept speaking. "Finn didn't make it out." He choked on a sob. "I'm so sorry, Rachel, but Finn is dead."

Her entire world came screeching to a halt, everything she knew and loved, crashing around her as Kurt said the word 'dead'. It wasn't possible. He couldn't be dead. He was just alive hours ago. She had just spoken to him, made love to him, laughed with him, ate dinner with him. There had to be a mistake.

"No, no, no…" she started and Kurt began to speak over her as she continued to say the word, stuck in a loop.

"Rachel, you need to keep calm. I'm so, so, sorry, but he's go-"

"NO!" she screamed, slamming her hands on the counter, silencing Kurt and startling everyone else mingling around. "He is not dead! He is not!" Kurt didn't say anything as tears fell harder. "He isn't dead. There is no reason he should be dead!"

"Rachel, I know this is a hard pill to swallow, but-"

"I'm going to prove to you he isn't dead!" She ran up the stairs and through the restaurant, hailing a cab when she made it to the street. Her entire body shook as she fought to keep herself together. When she got to Finn's she would see that everything was alright and he was simply late to work. He had been late before, it wasn't out of the realm of possibility.

Her hopes were dashed when the taxi pulled up on the corner. Finn's entire apartment building was caved in, the charred remains littering the lot. She broke into hysterical sobs in the back of the cab, scaring the driver. She ordered him to take her back to the restaurant and cried the whole way there.

She wobbled on her heels as she walked through the restaurant, back to the pantry, and down the secret staircase into the club. Her make-up ran as her tears fell freely and when she reached the bottom of the stairs, Jesse was waiting to pull her into his arms. She didn't protest when he hugged her or when he led her back to the booths. She didn't acknowledge anyone as they passed on the way. Rachel allowed Jesse to help her out of her coat and remove her hat before plopping herself on the bench. She was distraught as he sat next to her and took her hand.

"It's terrible, dying in a fire. I can't imagine going out that way." He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb and Rachel pulled away. Only Finn could touch her that way but Finn was gone now. "I know you two were close. This must be awful. I'm so sorry, Rachel." He didn't sound sorry at all.

Rachel replayed her conversation with Finn about Jesse over in her head. He was doing it again. A man she cared about would disappear and he would collect her with open arms, doling out false sympathy as she cried into his arms. Rachel had always assumed his cold façade in regards to her friend's deaths or disappearances was a coping mechanism but now she wondered. Did he really not care because he was the one responsible? Was he really crazy enough to kill any man who came between them? It really was too big of a coincidence that the instant she and a man became serious, Jesse would become angry and distant until the man left when he would come back, telling Rachel he knew it would happen and reminding her he would never leave her, that he loved her.

"I knew Finn would hurt you, just like the others."

"None of them hurt me. They all died." She stood and spun around to face him, her mouth set in a hard line as her eyes bored into his. "They're all dead because of you. You killed them."

"What? Don't be silly, Rachel. I would never kill anyone." He played cool but the edge in his voice betrayed him.

"Maybe _you_ wouldn't. But you know people who would for enough money. Your father works for Capone. He rubs elbows with hit men all the time. I'm sure it wouldn't be that hard for you to find one for hire."

"Rachel, you're in distress and thinking crazy right now. My father may be a runner and supplier in Capone's organization but I am hardly a criminal. I would never dream of killing anyone."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because I love you and I want to see you happy."

"I was happy, with Finn. But you took him away from me. If you think for one second I will ever be yours, you are mistaken. You took the love of my life away from me. Consider this friendship over. I never want to see you in this club again, you understand me?"

"Rachel, be reasonable."

Rachel threw open the drapes and hastily walked through the growing crowd, ignoring Jesse's calls from behind her. She had made it to the top of the stairs when she opened the pantry door to find a broad man blocking her way.

"Excuse me."

"I'm sorry." He stepped out of the way and let her pass. "Hey, you don't by chance know a Rachel Berry, do you?"

"Who's asking?" she demanded.

"Uh, I'm here on behalf of Finn Hudson. I'm his roommate, Puck."

"You're Puck?"

"That's what I said."

Rachel put her hand out for him to shake. "I'm Rachel Berry. It's nice to meet you. Finn has told me so much about you."

"Yeah, he wouldn't shut up about you, which is why I'm here."

"I'm not sure I understand…"

"Finn asked me to do him a final favor. If you'd come with me, I have something to show you."

Rachel was wary about traveling with this man she had never met before. Though she had heard about the elusive roommate, she had never met him. His job had even stranger hours than hers and he was often called away whenever she visited Finn at his apartment.

"What do you need to show me?"

"Trust me, it's going to cheer you up."

By the end of the journey, Rachel was confused and in no mood to be cheery. She recognized the destination as her safe house and was baffled as to why they were there.

"How do you know about this place? What are we doing here?"

Puck knocked an intricate knocking pattern on the door and Rachel could hear the lock clicking open. "After you…" he motioned for Rachel to enter first.

As she entered the living room, Rachel nearly fainted. Standing in the middle of the room was a ghost. It had to be a ghost because Finn was dead and there was no way his corporeal form was in the middle of her safe house.

"Finn?"

"It's me."

She stepped closer and his hand reached out to touch hers. When she felt his sold flesh and bone take hers, she collapsed into him, smiling and crying tears of joy. "It's you. I told Kurt you weren't dead. I knew you weren't."

"Well, that's not entirely true."

She lifted her head and sniffled. "What do you mean?"

"For all intents and purposes, I'm dead."

"I really don't understand what is going on. First Kurt tells me you're dead and I go to your apartment only to find charred remains, then I call Jesse out on being a murderer and stealing everyone I've ever cared about from me, then I meet this unknown roommate of yours who brings me to my own safe house where my dead lover is actually still alive but is really dead? What is going on?"

"So you figured out I was right about Jesse, huh?" His question was heavily laced with smugness. Rachel pouted and he continued. "Yes, I'm really alive, obviously, but no one can know. I have to stay dead so Jesse won't know I'm alive. If he finds out, he won't stop until I'm actually dead."

"I still don't get it. Did you escape before the fire started?" she asked, puzzled.

"Not exactly."

"That's where I come in," Puck stated, reminding Rachel he was still in the room. He sat in the lone chair making himself comfortable. "See, your friend Jesse stopped by in a rush yesterday, throwing around his money for a hit to be made that night, and hired me to take Finn out of the equation. Unfortunately for him, Finn has been my best, and sometimes my only, friend since we were six. I couldn't very well kill Finn but if I didn't take the job, Jesse would have found someone else who would. So, I knocked Finn out, switched his body for one I borrowed from the city morgue, and made it look like an electrical fire burned the place down with Finn inside. Everyone got out safely before the fire spread, except the stiff lying in Finn's bed, and now Jesse is happy believing that I got the job done."

"Your roommate is a hit man?" Rachel asked harshly.

"That's all you got out of the story?" Puck asked looking from Rachel to Finn.

"I didn't know Puck is a hit man. He works at a boxing gym usually. I didn't know it was a front for his business on the side."

Rachel rounded on Puck, sticking her finger in her face. "Were you responsible for the deaths of Artie Abrams, Max Kowalski, Eddie Harlow, or Robert Timmons?"

"Uh, no. I just recently got into this game."

"How did Jesse find you?"

"The man he usually goes to was finally bumped off himself so he needed a new guy. I took out a few of his father's adversaries so he figured he could trust me. If working in the Chicago Outfit has taught me anything, it's that you can't trust anyone. Hell, I only trust Finn because he got me out of more than a few scrapes growing up and paid half the rent."

Rachel straightened and held Finn around his waist. He kissed the top of her head and held her tiny body, enjoying the fact he was still alive to do so. "I can't condone your profession, Mr. Puck-"

"It's just Puck."

"Well, either way, I owe you a debt of gratitude for keeping Finn alive, so I will turn the other cheek and pretend that you simply work at a gym without a side job." She put her hand out for him to shake and he took it in a firm grip.

"You're welcome, and it's much appreciated." He picked his fedora up from the arm of the chair and placed it on his head. "Well, now that you two have been reunited and I explained my involvement. I'm going to head out. Finn, I'll be back tomorrow."

Rachel turned her attention back to Finn. "If you're dead then, what does that mean for us? You can't stay cooped up in this apartment forever."

"I'm not going to. Puck spent his day helping me get ready to make a break for New York."

"New York? You mean, you're going to leave Chicago? You're going to leave me?" Her voice was small.

"I want you to come with me, Rachel." She gasped and he explained. "You should be on Broadway or radio, not a basement stage in a speakeasy. Your dreams are so much bigger than that. New York is where you can pursue them and where we can be together without the threat of Jesse hanging over us. We can get a shoebox apartment and I can get a real job, not one I can be arrested for, and you can join the _Ziegfeld Follies_ or some other show. You can be the next Fanny Brice! Even better than her! You already sing 'My Man' better than she does."

Rachel blushed as she thought about her private performance of 'My Man' she had given for Finn. It was one of her favorite songs and she felt the chorus summed up her feelings for Finn perfectly.

"Rachel, I love you and I don't want to live without you."

The emotion of the past few hours washed over Rachel once more. Her heart had broken when she learned of Finn's death but re-solidified when he turned out to be alive. She didn't think she would be able to handle a repeat of the experience.

"I don't want to live without you either. Yes, of course, Finn, of course I'll come with you." Finn smiled so wide he felt like his face was about to split in two.

"You mean it? You'll really come with me to New York?"

She nodded jubilantly. "Yes, Finn."

He crushed her body to his in the biggest hug he could muster and kissed the side of her head over and over. "I love you…more than anything in this world."

"When do we leave?" she asked when they separated.

"Two days. I wanted to get out of Chicago as soon as possible but I wanted to give you some time to get your things together."

Rachel held her chin in thought. "There's much to do if I'm to be ready to leave in two days. I have to pack all my things and say goodbye to everyone and make sure I have money…" She ticked off more items on her to do list as she paced around thinking and Finn pulled a small box out of his inside coat pocket. He had been holding onto it since the day after the raid when he knew he wanted to spend all his life with Rachel. As she spun back around her rambling stopped and she stared at the item in his hand. "Finn," she breathed out, her hand moving up to cover her mouth.

"I figured, if we're going to do this, we should do it right. I know it's customary to ask the father first but I didn't get a chance before I died, so…" He got down on one knee and before he could even voice the question, Rachel tackled him to the floor screaming 'yes'.

All of which led to Finn pacing at the train station, wearing his fedora low on his head to hide his face. So much had happened in only two months and yet it seemed no time had passed at all.

He checked his pocket watch once more. Nearing eight minutes late. Rachel was never late, for anything, except for that one instance when he made her late for a father-daughter dinner due to his insatiable libido. But that was not the case now.

He hadn't seen Rachel since the night before and other than a quick phone call that morning, he hadn't heard from her either. Something didn't feel right, until he heard heels clacking on the floor behind him. He spun around and breathed a sigh of relief as she strolled up to him, a glowing smile on her face, her adorable bob hidden under her dark blue cloche hat with the big silver feather on the side, and her matching long coat and gloves. She carried her purse on one arm and a single suitcase in her other hand.

"Wow, I was expecting you to travel a little heavier."

"Oh, I have about ten more bags that I checked when I picked up my ticket. They charged me extra, but it's worth it. That's why I'm late."

"I was wondering what happened. You're never late."

"Except for that one time…" She giggled and pressed a kiss to his cheek. "Shall we head to the train? It's leaving in twenty minutes and I want a window seat." She bounced on the balls of her feet and danced in anticipation.

They took two steps before a bullet whizzed between them, landing in the wall next to where they were standing. The sound of the gun firing reverberated throughout the large space and screams could be heard as people registered what was happening.

Finn pushed Rachel to the ground, "Stay down and find somewhere to hide." Another shot fired as the gunman came into view on the stairs. His eyes were filled with rage as he came apart at the seams. Jesse looked like a wild man as he kept the gun pointed in Finn's direction, his trembling hand the only thing keeping the bullet from hitting Finn.

"I knew you weren't dead!" he roared. "Rachel was only too happy when she came back to the club to tell her father she was moving to New York. So I followed her to that dump you've been squatting in and sure enough, I was right. I knew I should have done the deed myself instead of hiring that incompetent windbag!" He fired another shot, cracking the glass in the revolving door as Finn dove out of the way. He ran in the opposite direction Rachel had gone, keeping Jesse's maniacal rage away from her.

Jesse fired another shot. It was much closer than the first two and his trench coat actually smoked as the bullet had grazed the sleeve. Finn was cornered as Jesse moved closer, steadying his gun and aiming it right at Finn's head. He watched Jesse's finger graze the trigger and ducked, diving for Jesse's legs, knocking him to the floor as the gun went off shooting a bullet to Finn's left. The gun flew out of Jesse's hand landing at least ten feet away and making Finn feel a lot better about his current position.

He had him pinned down as he sat on top of him, struggling to keep him from slithering away. From the direction of the stairs, Finn could hear thunderous footsteps as a dozen police officers came into sight, all their weapons drawn and trained on him.

"Step away from the man and put your hands in the air!" the closest officer yelled at Finn. He jumped back from Jesse, putting as much distance as possible between them to avoid being choked when he released his arms. Finn did as the officer said. Jesse remained on the floor as an officer walked over and picked him up. "Both of you, up against the wall now." Finn felt cold metal against his skin as the officer held his hands and slapped cuffs on him. He pulled Finn away from the wall and began walking him to a nearby bench.

"Finn!" Rachel called as she ran forward from her hiding place on the other end of the building. "Finn!"

"Ma'am, please stand back."

She pushed against the officer attempting to keep her back. "You can't arrest, Finn! He was trying to stop Jesse! He's a hero…my hero."

Finn felt a swell of pride in his chest as she stared at him like he truly was a hero.

"We'll release him once we get a handle on the situation, if there is reason to release him. Now, explain."

Finn explained himself and what happened with Jesse coming out of nowhere and starting to shoot at him. Rachel and multiple other witnesses corroborated his story and the officer finally removed the cuffs from his wrists and allowed Rachel to speak to him. She flew into his arms and gripped his jacket tightly in her hands, kissing him hard on the mouth as if it were the last time she would be able to.

As for Jesse, he opened up like a book.

"This is your fault, you stupid bitch!" he snapped at Rachel making her frown and cower into Finn. He lunged forward and she squealed in fright as he raged in the officers' grasp. "I loved you! None of this would have happened if you just loved me back! I never would have had to kill anyone! You're the reason they're all dead!" He kept yelling abuse at her as the cops dragged him away until only a few officers remained.

Rachel began crying into Finn's chest and he rubbed her back gently, trying to calm her down. "Don't you believe a word of it, Rachel. None of this is your fault. Jesse is responsible for this."

"I know. I just…I never thought he would be capable of such anger and malice. I thought I knew him." She looked into Finn's eyes, sniffling. "You won't turn out to be a psychotic killer, will you? I don't think I could handle it."

"I mean, anything is possible, but I don't see it happening." He smirked at her and kissed the top of her head again. "You won't become friends with another creep who wants to kill me, will you?"

"I don't know. New York is full of interesting characters."

The officer who had questioned Finn walked back over to them. "We have your statements and contact information. You're both free to go for now. I'd suggest staying in the city, however. They may call you as witnesses if there's a trial. Try to stay out of trouble." He nodded at them and walked back to his fellow men.

"I guess this means I can come back from the dead."

"As long as no one wants to avenge, Jesse."

Finn groaned. "Am I going to have the entire Chicago Outfit on me now?"

"Perhaps you should stay dead."

"Well, dead or alive, all I know is, I'm marrying you and living happily ever after."

Rachel puckered her lips and pressed them to Finn's. "Sounds like a good idea. First let's get our luggage." Hand in hand they walked through the crime scene until they were free of the tape and Jesse forever.

_One Year Later_

"Only a year late, but we've finally made it," Rachel said as she plopped herself on their new couch in their tiny Manhattan apartment, exhausted from moving in.

"Finally. Who knew weddings took so long to plan?" Finn slammed the door behind him and joined Rachel on the couch.

"We could have eloped and I would have been just as happy." She leaned on his shoulder and he put his hand on her thigh, squeezing tight.

"Now you tell me."

"I'm just happy we can put the past officially behind us now. Jesse confessed to everything and is securely behind bars, the mafia is not after us since Jesse's father disowned him after making a mockery of their family name, my father's restaurant and club are more popular than ever, we're married, and we're in New York starting our new jobs on Monday. I'd say it has been a very good year for us."

"I can think of a way to make it a better year," he side glanced at Rachel before picking her up and making her squeal as he carried her into their new bedroom.

Finn had no idea how long he would live but he knew that ten, twenty, one hundred years later, 1927 would always hold a special place in his heart.

* * *

The songs are 'I'm Nobody's Baby' by Ruth Etting and 'I Can't Believe That You're in Love With Me' written by Jimmy McHugh and Clarence Gaskill.


End file.
